ABSTRACT
The archaeological site Vysná Mysla - Koscelek is located in the southeast of the Slovak Republic, and it is peculiar by its location in the middle of the woods near a thermal spring. Burials could be dated to the 13th to 14th centuries based on the presence of the ruins of the church, albeit the funeral practices could last until the 18th century. A total of 53 individuals were examined, in whom the age at death, sex and stature were morphoscopically and metric estimated by standard anthropological methods, and the presence of non-metric traits and pathological conditions was also recorded. The analysed group consisted of 40 adults and 4 adolescents, of which 16 were women and 2 possible females, 19 men and one probable male individual, three individuals of inconclusive sex and six individuals of unknown sex because of bad preservation of the human remains. The group of nonadults consisted of 6 children. Pathological conditions were present and recorded in 32% of 53 evaluated individuals. Due to the lack of historical written sources, this analysis represents an important study for the reconstruction of the life of historical population living in this area.
Subject(s)
Anthropology , Body Remains , Adult , Adolescent , Child , Humans , Male , Female , Archaeology , Burial , SlovakiaABSTRACT
The grave situated in the central part of the reformed church in Silická Brezová in Slovakia contained the human skeletal remains of one individual. The aim of this study was to confirm the presence of ankylosing spondylitis on these skeletal remains. Determine the sex, age at death, stature, and ancestry of the individual by anthropological methods, and also record and identify other pathological manifestations of diseases. A macroscopic examination has been carried out, with the analysis of the palaeopathological conditions of the remains, and subsequently an X-ray and CT completed analysis. The skeleton belonged to a male of European origin, aged between 45 and 60 years at the time of death. Stature calculated from the maximal length of his femur was 163.12 ± 3.48 cm. Pathological features were identified on the many bones. Ankylosis affected almost the whole spinal cord, including the sacroiliac joints. The skeleton also presented the manifestation of many entheseal changes. Presence of the ankylosing spondylitis was confirmed by a combination of standard anthropological methods and modern diagnostic methods (X-ray and CT analysis). It is a specific disease with a prevalence between 0.1 and 1% worldwide. There is a potential for further genetic research to determine the degree of genetic relatedness with an individual living in this village who has been diagnosed with the same disease.
