Commonality in Peak Age of Early-Childhood Morbidity Across Cultures and Over Time

Clarke, Steven K.; Gindhart, Patricia S.

doi:10.1086/202729

Cited by 8 publications

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“…Clarke and Gindhart (1981) further reported that based on the same data no lines in these children were observed to persist for more than 10 years. In light of these findings it would seem that assessments of early childhood stress in archaeological adults may be problematic and reliant to a large extent on the ages and sexes of the individuals examined.…”

mentioning

confidence: 76%

“…Gindhart's work (1969) provides a useful comparative data base, and in her study of line formation on the tibiae of living children she observed age and sex differences in both line formation and loss. Clarke and Gindhart (1981) further reported that based on the same data no lines in these children were observed to persist for more than 10 years. In light of these findings it would seem that assessments of early childhood stress in archaeological adults may be problematic and reliant to a large extent on the ages and sexes of the individuals examined.…”

mentioning

confidence: 76%

“…However, in the analysis of both contemporary and prehistoric adults, several researchers have reported that highest frequencies of lines are attributable to formation during infancy and early childhood (Garn and Schwager, 1967;Clarke, 1978Clarke, , 1980Clarke and Gindhart, 1981). Clarke, for example, found peak frequencies of lines in prehistoric American Indian adults to have been formed at age 2 years and, based on similarities to Gindhart's (1969) data on contemporary children, Clarke and Gindhart (1981) a cross-populational commonality in the peak age of early childhood stress.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In light of the dramatic resorption of lines in the children, the nature of bone growth, and adult remodeling it seems unusual that lines formed during the first few years of life would be the most persistent and occur in highest frequencies in the adults. However, in the analysis of both contemporary and prehistoric adults, several researchers have reported that highest frequencies of lines are attributable to formation during infancy and early childhood (Garn and Schwager, 1967;Clarke, 1978Clarke, , 1980Clarke and Gindhart, 1981). Clarke, for example, found peak frequencies of lines in prehistoric American Indian adults to have been formed at age 2 years and, based on similarities to Gindhart's (1969) data on contemporary children, Clarke and Gindhart (1981) argued for AGE Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Observations on the formation and persistence of radiopaque transverse lines

Hummert

Gerven

1985

American J Phys Anthropol

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The formation and persistence of radiopaque transverse lines have been assessed in the living in clinical studies of growth, nutrition, and disease. Lines have also been used by many researchers in the analysis of patterns of childhood stress in prehistoric skeletal materials, although most of this research has been undertaken on adult bones. However, how reliable and useful are transverse lines for interpretations of stress? The precise etiologies for their appearance are varied and controversial, and lines are also known to resorb during both childhood and the adult years. Sex differences in both their formation and persistence have also been reported. To assess better the viability of lines as indicators of stress, the present research analyzes rates of formation, distribution frequencies, and the persistence of transverse lines in individuals aged birth to 50+ years from a single archaeological population. The results suggest that while transverse lines may be analytically useful as subsidiary criteria for more fully understanding the biological well-being of prehistoric populations, caution should be exercised in the interpretations made concerning childhood stress, particularly when using adult bones.

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confidence: 76%

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confidence: 76%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Observations on the formation and persistence of radiopaque transverse lines

Hummert

Gerven

1985

American J Phys Anthropol

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“…Investigators of growth and development have discovered a decreased rate of long bone growth from six months to four years in some prehistoric populations, possibly corresponding with weaning-related metabolic disruption or infection (Bogin 1999;Lovejoy et al 1990;Mensforth 1985). These slowed growth rates are coupled with high frequencies of periostitis in children who perished during the weaning period (Mensforth 1985), and older children and adult individuals display DEHs and Harris lines that developed at this age (Clarke 1980;Clarke and Gindhart 1981;Cook and Buikstra 1979;Corruccini et al 1985;Goodman et al 1987;Lillie 1996;Ogilvie et al 1989;Powell 1988;Simpson et al 1990;Ubelaker 1992). Yet many associations between weaning and skeletal pathologies remain tenuous (Katzenberg et al 1996).…”

Section: Identifying Age Grades Through Biological Indicatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Redefining Childhood through Bioarchaeology: Toward an Archaeological and Biological Understanding of Children in Antiquity

Perry

2005

Archaeological Papers of the American

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Many critiques surrounding the archaeology of childhood have addressed the disparate social and biological identifications of children. Bioarchaeological information can elucidate the lives of children and the meaning of childhood in antiquity. Bioanthropological techniques additionally can identify biological developmental stages of childhood that may link to socially defined age grades. This chapter presents and critically evaluates the diverse techniques that may be used to illuminate relationships between biological evidence and social interpretations in the archaeological study of children and childhood. A brief example from the Byzantine Near East illustrates the utility of bioarchaeology in the study of ancient children.

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Experimental assessment of nutrition and bone growth's velocity effects on Harris lines formation

Alfonso‐Durruty

2011

American J Phys Anthropol

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Harris lines (HL) are radio-opaque transverse lines traditionally associated with stressors that halt or decelerate growth in humans. Harris lines' status as a stress marker is, however, questionable because their association to illness and deficient growth is low and they commonly form in the absence of stress during periods of accelerated growth. To assess Harris line's reliability as a stress marker, this study examined their association with nutritional status and bone growth velocity through an experimental study in rabbits. Forty-five New Zealand White rabbits were divided into: Control (normal laboratory conditions), Experimental-1 (moderately undernourished), and Experimental-2 (periodically fasted) groups during their growth. Variables analyzed included weight, forelimb length, humeral diaphyseal length, diaphyseal growth velocity, and number of Harris lines. Fewer lines were observed by the end of the study among Experimental-1 animals. More Harris lines formed during periods of rapid growth in the absence of nutritional stress. Accordingly, Harris lines are a poor marker of stress. Intrinsic limitations to paleopathological studies can be overcome, but even the most careful attentiveness to multiple stress markers and cultural context will go amiss if the markers used are unreliable.

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Commonality in Peak Age of Early-Childhood Morbidity Across Cultures and Over Time

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Observations on the formation and persistence of radiopaque transverse lines

Observations on the formation and persistence of radiopaque transverse lines

Redefining Childhood through Bioarchaeology: Toward an Archaeological and Biological Understanding of Children in Antiquity

Experimental assessment of nutrition and bone growth's velocity effects on Harris lines formation

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