Probable Treponematosis in Human Skeletons from the Himrin Basin of Iraq

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is, first, to present the brief outline of human treponematoses in the World, and second, to appreciate the clinical, osteological, and epidemiological manifestations of treponematosis (endemic syphilis) in Mesopotamia (Iraq) with the paleopathological descriptions on new two skeletons of the Islamic period.The two human skeletal remains which had been excavated from Tell Gubba in the Himrin basin of Iraq showed remarkable pathological changes probably by endemic syphilis.They were of a young adult male and of a mature adult female and were well-preserved.The skull, scapula, ribs, radius, ulna, metacarpal bones, femur, tibia, fibula, and metatarsal bones in the skeletons were involved. The lesions revealed various appearances such as discoloured and pitted or only irregular external surface, striae formation of the compact bone, and deformation of the bone due to circumferential or partial expansion of the compact bone in the macroscopic observations, and as thickening of the compact bone and slight narrowing of the medullary cavity in the roentgenograms.There is little accumulation of the paleopathological data on the endemic diseases in Mesopotamia.Therefore, this description is necessary to appreciate the osteological manifestation, prevalence, and, if possible, history of treponematosis in Mesopotamia.

A Discriminant Function for Sex Determination of Ancient Iraqis Based on Radial Measurements.

“…Twenty-five bones from the left side and 26 from the right belonged to males, while 29 from the left side and 28 from the right were from females. A few bones with pathological deformations were previously excluded (Wada et al, 1987a(Wada et al, , 1987b.…”

“…(Ikeda et al, 1986). We also compiled individual histories of the diseases of some of both the Jemdet Nasr and Islamic human skeletal remains (Ikeda et al, 1986;Wada et al, 1987aWada et al, , 1987b. We then embarked on studies to survey population characteristics based on the limb skeletons.…”

Advancing the understanding of treponemal disease in the past and present

“…Due to a laboratory error, repeat testing yielded a revised calibrated date of A.D. 1424–1479 A.D. with 95.4% confidence (Mitchell, ). Lesions in two skeletons from the site of Tell Gubba in the Himran Basin of Iraq were suggested to show bejel by Wada, Ikedea, & Suzuki (). These two individuals were dated to the Islamic period, with no specific date range provided.…”

Morphological Assessment of Ethnic, Sex and Side Differences in the Human Radius Based on Intra-Regional and Side Ratios.

“…We also compiled individual histories of the diseases of some of both the Jemdet Nasr and Islamic skeletal remains (Ikeda et al, 1986;Wada et al, 1987aWada et al, , 1987b. I then embarked on studies to survey population characteristics based on morphology of the limb skeleton.…”