Paleopathology and Taphonomy in Southern Patagonia. Structural Analysis of Human Bones with DEXA and pQCT

SUBY JA, GUICHÓN RA, FUGASSA MH, CASALLI R, RODRIGUEZ MARTIN C Y FERRETTI JL.

Santorini, Grecia

Congreso; 16th European Meeting of the Paleopathology Association; 2006

  Since 2003 we have been working in a Scientific Collaboration Program between the Instituto de Bioantropología de Canarias (Spain) and the Universidad Nacional del Centro (Argentine), which studies the paleopathologies and extinction processes of human populations of Southern Patagonia. This program includes the analysis of the dispersion of diseases between european and native populations, the study of bone pathologies, the recognition of record features, and paleoparasitological and historical sources. In this work, we will place a special emphasis in taphonomical and pathological analysis of human record. The taphonomical integrity of bioarchaeological record is a central key in paleoepidemiological evaluations. Moreover, the human bone structure analysis (mineral mass, architectonical design and mechanical resistance) is strongly related to some aspects of the taphonomic history, and it is also related to paleopathology, life style and forensic identifications. We are employing volumetric BMD from postcraneal human bones, by peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT) and derived from areal BMD by Dual Energy X-ray Abptorptiometry (DEXA) in order to make methodological approaches for differential preservation analysis, which results will be presented here. Furthermore, the cortical area and second moment of inertia data offered by pQCT could be usefull in paleopathology and forensic anthropology. In this sense, we started analysing these variables in Nombre de Jesus archaeological site, the first Spanish population in Southern Patagonia. The first results showed a reduced cortical area and low bone mineral density, compatible with malnutrition, and supported by the other historical and paleoparasitological sources that we are studying.