engleski

Diagnosing scurvy in archaeological record

Scurvy is a metabolic disease that develops as a result of the prolonged vitamin C deficiency in the diet. Presence of scurvy in archaeological populations can contribute to our knowledge about their diet, health and socioeconomic status. It has been suggested that vitamin C deficiency causes a specific pattern of skeletal lesions, enabling scurvy identification in human skeletal remains. Since late 1990s, when skeletal diagnostic procedure for scurvy has been established, growing number of studies, focusing on scurvy among archaeological populations has been published. However, studies reveal demographic pattern unusual for scurvy – with high occurrence of scurvy associated lesions among newborns and infants. Similar pattern is observed on Uzdolje-Grablje, late medieval site in Dalmatian hinterland, Croatia. The analyzed sample consists of 16 juveniles. The majority of the sample exhibits at least one skeletal lesion associated with scurvy. In this presentation we explore current diagnostic procedures in light of clinical studies, scurvy aetiology, and mechanism of lesions’ formation.

human skeletal remains; scurvy; juveniles

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