Degenerative Diseases of the Spines of Early Modern Human Remains from Kumejima, Okinawa

Moromizato, Keiichi; Fukumine, Tadahiko; Doi, Naomi; Hanihara, Tsunehiko; Nishime, Akira; Yoneda, Minoru; Ishida, Hajime

doi:10.1537/asj.115.25

Cited by 10 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…examined osteophytes (bony outgrowth) on the body of vertebrae of the Okhotsk and Kamakura series, and the third author (K.M.) examined those of the Kumejima series (Moromizato et al, 2007). The osteophytes extend first horizontally and then in a vertical direction and finally bridge with the adjacent vertebrae (Resnick, 2002).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As mentioned above, although human spines tend to be more uniformly affected throughout the vertebral column, previous anthropological investigations revealed that prehistoric and historic human populations vary in terms of the prevalence of degenerative changes of the spine (Bridges, 1994;Moromizato et al, 2007). In addition, there are different patterns between the prevalence of osteophytes on the vertebral body and that of degenerative changes of apophyseal joint (Moromizato et al, 2007). This is one of the merits of studying degenerative changes of the spine in skeletal populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Because risk factors for degenerative disease of the spine consist of not only age but also selected activities, many physical anthropologists have investigated degenerative changes of the spine from prehistoric and historic human populations in order to reconstruct their life activity (Suzuki, 1978(Suzuki, , 1998Fukushima, 1988;Bridges, 1994;Lovell, 1994;Lieverse et al, 2007;Moromizato et al, 2007;RojasSepúlveda et al, 2008). In general, upright bipedal humans exhibit more marked degenerative changes of the spine than other hominoids (Jurmain, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…taro, rice and tree), and fish (Yoneda et al, 2004;Irei et al, 2008). Moromizato et al (2007) reported on degenerative changes of the spine for the Kumejima samples in Japanese. They found that the lumbar regions were most affected for both sexes, while severe degenerative changes of the lumbar region were more frequently seen in females.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the basis of this report on Kumejima (Moromizato et al, 2007), we would like to present basic data on degenerative changes of the spine among three different peoples from the Japanese archipelago, and to compare rates of prevalence among them. Finally, we will mention causes of the different prevalence patterns of degenerative changes among them on the basis of their subsistence, nutrition, labor, and culture.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Degenerative changes of the spine in people from prehistoric Okhotsk culture and two ancient human groups from Kanto and Okinawa, Japan

Shimoda

Nagaoka

Moromizato

et al. 2012

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Degenerative changes of the spine in people of the Okhotsk culture were investigated in adult human skeletal remains from 38 males and 34 females. These findings were then compared with those in materials obtained from the medieval Kamakura period and early-modern peasants on Kumejima, Ryukyu Islands. The three samples clearly showed different patterns. In the Okhotsk series, the cervical spine of each sex had most osteophytes on the vertebral body, while the Kumejima samples had the highest frequency on the lumbar vertebrae. In the Kamakura series, males were most affected on the lower thoracic vertebrae. Moreover, severe osteophytes on the body of the lumbar vertebrae were more frequently seen in the Okhotsk males. Degenerative changes of the articular process of the Okhotsk series were most frequently seen in the lumbar vertebrae and least frequently seen in the cervical vertebrae. This is well contrasted with a high frequency of degenerative changes of cervical apophyseal joint in early-modern Kumejima peasants. The Kamakura series of each sex had generally low frequencies. Severe degenerative changes of apophyseal joint dominantly affected the Okhotsk series. It is inferred that different dynamic loads caused a high frequency of degenerative changes in the corresponding articular parts. For example, because the Okhotsk culture developed a considerable maritime infrastructure, the lifestyle required for sea-mammal hunting and fishing seems to have particularly affected the incidence of severe degenerative changes of the lumbar vertebrae.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Degenerative changes of the spine in people from prehistoric Okhotsk culture and two ancient human groups from Kanto and Okinawa, Japan

Shimoda

Nagaoka

Moromizato

et al. 2012

Self Cite

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An assessment of postcranial indices, ratios, and body mass versus eco‐geographical variables of prehistoric Jomon, Yayoi agriculturalists, and Kumejima Islanders of Japan

Seguchi

Quintyn

Yonemoto

et al. 2017

American J Hum Biol

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Reliability of metric determination of sex based on long-bone circumferences: perspectives from Yuigahama-minami, Japan

Nagaoka

Hirata

2009

Anat Sci Int

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The purpose of this study is to develop new standards to determine the sex of fragmentary human skeletal remains from archaeological sites in Japan. In order to accomplish this, we measured the long-bone circumferences of Japanese skeletons from the medieval period and provided metric diagnosis of sex using discriminant function analysis. We discuss whether the osteometric approach provides the criterion for sex assessment of human skeletal remains. The materials comprised human skeletal remains from the Yuigahama-minami site, Kamakura, Japan. The sample size used in this study was 68 males and 62 females excavated from individual burial graves. The accuracy of sex classification is more than 80% for discriminant functions with only one variable and reaches 90% for those with a combination of multiple variables. The multivariate functions provide better results than the univariate functions. Another improvement in sex diagnosis which this study contributes to is that new standards enabling reliable diagnosis with small numbers of variables are developed from well-preserved parts of the skeletons. This paper provides new standards, focusing on the diaphysial circumferences of limb bones from a medieval population, and will contribute to the advancement of medieval studies of skeletal remains from archaeological sites in Japan.

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Degenerative Diseases of the Spines of Early Modern Human Remains from Kumejima, Okinawa

Cited by 10 publications

References 11 publications

Degenerative changes of the spine in people from prehistoric Okhotsk culture and two ancient human groups from Kanto and Okinawa, Japan

Degenerative changes of the spine in people from prehistoric Okhotsk culture and two ancient human groups from Kanto and Okinawa, Japan

An assessment of postcranial indices, ratios, and body mass versus eco‐geographical variables of prehistoric Jomon, Yayoi agriculturalists, and Kumejima Islanders of Japan

Reliability of metric determination of sex based on long-bone circumferences: perspectives from Yuigahama-minami, Japan

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