Pia Bennike

... dog, i samklang med sociale udviklingstanker, at de »vilde« med den mest »primitive« kultur, altså den sorte race, var op-hav til de andre racer ved ... Først i 1938 blev der oprettet et institut for human arvebiologi og eugenik med en medicinsk genetiker, T. Kemp, som leder (men ...

This study examines the occurrence and distribution of transverse lines in skeletal remains from the Copenhagen site, a plague cemetery dated 1711 AD. A relatively low frequency for evidence of line formation was observed in the individuals comprising the total sample and no transverse lines were present in the subadult category. This paper addresses the pattern of transverse line occurrence and cohort-specific distribution in a plague sample in light of the multiple factors influencing line formation and resorption and discusses the significance of transverse lines as measures of non-specific acute stress in archaeologically derived populations.

Decimal numbers represent poster numbers within a poster session (eg," 13.14" is poster number 14 within Poster Session 13). Brackets represent time on a 24 hour clock within a podium session (eg," 32 [16: 45]" is a paper at 4: 45 pm within Podium Session 32). A number followed by a" C" indicates a chair for a session, while a number followed by a" D" indicates a discussant for a session.

The purpose of this paper is to present a Mediaeval skeleton of an approximately 16 year old boy, which was excavated at a Danish cemetery containing ca. 150 graves. The skeleton reveals several pathologic changes, probably due to congenital malformation. The most intriguing find is seen at both scapulae, and the changes are bilateral symmetric. Both the glenoid cavities are placed posterior but at the normal height of the bone. The joints are almost perpendicular to their normal direction. The size of the glenoid cavities is normal and the shape is rather flat in accordance to the development stage of the skeleton, where the epiphysis of the rim has not yet appeared to form the gently concave fossa as normally seen in adults. Both the surface and the borderlines of the glenoid cavities are, however, more irregular than normally at that age. The position of the joints may be caused by dislocation and/or congenital malformation which is discussed. Due to the shape of the cavities, to the symmetric bilaterality, and to the minor congenital malformations, it is primarily believed to be caused by congenital malformation. Probably the young man was not much affected by the malformation of the shoulder joints, which is indicated by the normal form and size of the humeri and the well-developed muscle attachments of the bones. The claviculae seem shorter and more twisted than normal, which may be caused by a twisting of the scapulae. So the glenoid cavities may have pointed almost in the normal direction in spite of the malformation. Other minor malformations are spina bifida of the atlas and the 5. lumbar vertebra, multiple minor changes of the joints of both feet and malformations of one metatarsal bone in both feet. Agenesi of the praemolars is also seen. Although our study of the literature, we have not succeeded in correlation our finds with any known congenital syndrome, and as far as we know no similar case has been described in clinical observation or in skeletal finds.

The relative Bronze Age chronology for Scandinavia was established as early as 1885. It is traditionally divided into 6 periods (I?VI). Earlier attempts to make an absolute Bronze Age chronology for southern Scandinavia were derived from burials and settlements and were mainly based ...

The development of the studies on pysical anthropology and human evolution in Denmark and Scandina­ via seems to be divisible into stages, viz.: /. Speculative, religious, philosophical (until the 18th century). //. Natural History, classificatory (from about the middle of the 18th century till the 1830's). ///. Archaeological/craniological on "racial origins" (till late 19th century). Then there is a split between TV. Evolutionary/"social Darwinian" ideas transformed into eugenics (until the 1930's), developing into V. Human genetics registrating hereditary diseases, and parallel to this VI. Traditional physical anthropological/osteological studies including paleopathology, and lately VII. Archaeozoological studies on the biological enviroment of Man. The present stage is mostly concerned with analytical, interdisciplinary studies in human biology.

Galgedil is a Viking Age cemetery located in the northern part of the Danish island of Funen. Excavations at the site revealed 54 graves containing 59 inhumations and 2 cremation burials. Previous study of the remains to date has included light isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in collagen (10 samples) and the radiocarbon determination of the age of 8 samples. In addition, aDNA was investigated in 10 samples from the cemetery. Here we report the analysis of strontium isotopes in human tooth enamel as a signal of place of birth. Some 36 samples have been measured and non-local outliers identified. Baseline levels of strontium isotope ratios in Denmark are discussed and documented. Our study also includes an in-depth consideration of the bioarcheology of the skeletal remains in terms of demography, paleopathology, and taphonomy. The burials are evaluated in light of the available archeological, chronological, anthropological, and isotope information available.

Numerous reports of successful radiocarbon dating of cremated bones have emerged during the last decade. The success of radiocarbon dating cremated bones depends on the temperature during burning and the degree of recrystallisation of the inorganic bone matrix. During cremation bones undergo major morphological and mineralogical changes which have raised some interesting questions and discussion on the origin of the carbon source in archaeologically cremated bones. Recent laboratory experiments reveal that the properties of the combustion atmosphere play a significant role regarding the source carbon in cremated bones. Thus radiocarbon dating cremated bones is potentially dating the wood used for the cremation fire. Here we compare a high precision radiocarbon dated human bone with an associated dendrochronological age from an oak coffin. We find that the age discrepancy between the dendrochronological age and the cremated bone of 73 ± 26 14C yr is best accounted for by the so calle...

To-day contracture and ankylosis of the hip joint in a right angle is almost unknown in the industrial part of the world due to modern medical treatment. Most descriptions of this subject are primarily to be found in the literature of last century. Here, the causes mentioned were trauma, congenital disorders and most often infectious diseases such as osteomyelitis and tuberculosis. A total ankylosis of the joint is described as the result of immobility spanning from only a few months to several years. A 90 flexion contracture is the “normal” reaction to pain in the hip joint. With the femur kept immobile, the result will be reduced mobility or anchylosis of the joint around this position, whatever the cause may be. A total of five skeletons from Denmark ranging from 3, 500 years B.C. to 1,300 A.D. have changes in the hip joint resulting in either 1) a very restricted movement with the femur more or less fixed in a horizontal position forming a right angle with the rest of the body, or 2) a complete anchylosis in the same position. The hip deformations in the five cases appear to be due to a variety of causes. Although we are well aware of the diagnostic difficulties we venture to put forward some etiological and differential diagnostic suggestions.

The success of radiocarbon dating of burned or cremated bones depends on the exposed temperature during burning and the degree of re-crystallisation of the inorganic bone matrix. We present a method for characterisation of likely cremated bones by employing visual ...

In Scandinavia the development of physical anthropology and studies on human evolution seem to fall into several stages: I:  A speculative, religious and philosophical stage, lasting until the 18th century. II:  A stage in which classifications in Natural History are predominant, lasting from the middle of the 18th century until the 1830’s. III:  An archaeological/craniological stage with an emphasis on racial origin, lasting until late in the 19th century. This stage developed into viz. the osteological (VI) and the following (IV): IV:  Evolutionary/social Darwinian thoughts transformed into eugenics by the 1930’s, when on the one hand it progressed into extreme racism and on the other developed into: V:  Human genetics and genetic counselling based on the study of hereditary diseases. Parallel to stage IV, the osteological studies developed further into: VI:  Traditional physical anthropology including descriptive palaeopathology. A branch of osteology developed into archaeozoological studies on Man’s environment. VII:  The recent interdisciplinary and analytical studies of human biology of ancient populations.