The Diagnosis and Context of a Facial Deformity from an Anglo‐Saxon Cemetery at Spofforth, North Yorkshire

Abstract

An individual aged between six and seven years at death from a 7 th -to 9 th -century cemetery at Village Farm, Spofforth, North Yorkshire, presented significant pathological swelling to the left facial bones. The ectocranial surface was bulbous and uneven, and the expanded diplo' was densely packed with a mass of thick trabeculae.Radiological and histological analysis, in combination with the macroscopically observed pathological changes, supported the differential diagnosis of fibrous dysplasia. The skeletal changes to the left face and jaw would have resulted in a significant facial deformity. Individuals with physical impairments or disfigurements from Anglo-Saxon cemeteries, although rare, are sometimes afforded unusual burial practices more often associated with deviancy, for example, at the edge of cemeteries or on a reversed orientation. These unusual interments seem to indicate that diminished physical capabilities or unusual physical appearance resulted in disability in the form of diminished social status. The child from Spofforth was, however, buried in a normative manner, extended, supine and in a plain earth-cut grave, with no indication that their facial deformity had prompted unusual funerary provision. This example of facial disfigurement contributes to a growing corpus of potentially disabled individuals from early medieval England.

Pediatric mandibular osteomyelitis: a probable case from Okhotsk period (5th–13th century AD) northern Japan

“…Fibrous dysplasia can affect one or several bones, the latter typically asymmetrically, while cherubism is usually symmetrical and limited to the mandible and maxillae. Radiographically, both conditions are distinguishable by their 'ground glass' appearance (Kambadakone et al, 2008;Craig and Craig, 2013;Willmon et al, 2013;Lewis, 2018;Marques, 2019), which is absent in this case (Figure 5, Figure 6). Fibro-osseous lesions are therefore inconsistent with the osteoblastic lesion on Moyoro 165.…”

Multi-analytic study of a probable case of fibrous dysplasia (FD) from certosa monumental cemetery (Bologna, Italy)

“…One report of monostotic involvement of the right temporal bone of an adult male from an archaeological site in the southeastern United States, dating from the Late Mississippian period (CE 1350 to CE 1650) (Gregg and Reed, 1980). A second case is an individual between 6-7 years of age from a 7th to 9th century cemetery at Village Farm, Spofforth, North Yorkshire, UK, who presented significant pathological swelling of the left facial bones, with a bulbous ectocranial surface and expanded diploë (Craig and Craig, 2013). A third case was reported in an adult male, dated to the 14th century from southern Ontario, Canada, represented by a partial cranium possessing an enlarged left temporal bone (Willmon et al, 2013).…”

Disease Stigma in the Archaeological Record: A Review of Current Research

“…As Crawford (2010) states, both visible disfigurement and difficulty with speech resulted in a greater perception of disability and deviance in the Anglo--Saxon world. However, the child's burial was no different from others excavated, indicating that whatever the child's status in life may have been, the child's status in death was unaffected (Craig and Craig, 2011).…”

“…While the preceding examples suggest a correlation between disease and mortuary treatment, there are numerous instances of diseased individuals receiving the same funerary treatment as other deceased. Craig and Craig (2011) report the example of an Anglo Saxon child with apparent fibrous dysplasia. This condition would have resulted in obvious facial asymmetry and deformity, as well as potential speech issues.…”