Papers by Sandra Wheeler
http://www.sidestone.com/library/egyptian-bioarchaeology
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American Journal of Human Biology 26: 221-228, 2014
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American Journal of Physical Anthropology 153(3): 496-505., 2014
Several studies have shown that the human body generally conforms to the ecogeographical expectat... more Several studies have shown that the human body generally conforms to the ecogeographical expectations of Bergmann's and Allen's rules; however, recent evidence suggests that these expectations may not hold completely for some populations. Egypt is located at the crossroads of Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Europe, and the Near East, and gene flow among groups in these regions may confound ecogeographical patterning. In this study, we test the fit of the adult physique of a large sample (N = 163) of females and males from the Kellis 2 cemetery (Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt) against ecogeographical predictions. Body shape (i.e., body mass relative to stature) was assessed by the femur head diameter to bicondylar femur length index (FHD/BFL), and brachial and crural indices were calculated to examine intralimb proportions. Body shape in the Kellis 2 sample is not significantly different from high-latitude groups and a Lower Nubian sample, and intralimb proportions are not significantly different from mid-latitude and other low-latitude groups. This study demonstrates the potential uniqueness of body shape and intralimb proportions in an ancient Egyptian sample, and further highlights the complex relationship between ecogeographic patterning and adaptation. Am J Phys Anthropol 153:496–505, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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American Antiquity, Jan 2014
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Earliest documented case of child abuse in the archaeological record.Application of macroscopic, ... more Earliest documented case of child abuse in the archaeological record.Application of macroscopic, paleohistological, and radiographic analyses to aid diagnosis.Novel application of stable isotope analysis to assess physiological stress in response to trauma.Much can be learned about cultural attitudes of violence towards children from the analyses of their skeletal remains and mortuary patterns of the communities in which they lived and died. A bioarchaeological approach integrating biological, socio-cultural, and physical environments is used in analyzing the remains of a 2–3-year-old child from Kellis 2, a Romano-Christian period cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt. The skeletal remains of this individual show an unusual pattern of trauma and healing events, possibly indicating multiple episodes of non-accidental trauma. Macroscopic, radiographic, and histologic analyses show the extent of the skeletal trauma and healing, while stable carbon and nitrogen analyses of bone and hair reveal metabolic disturbances and changes in diet correlated with these traumatic events. Results from the differential diagnosis demonstrate that this individual exhibits skeletal fracture and healing patterns consistent with repeated non-accidental trauma, which may or may not have resulted in death. In addition, this individual may also represent the earliest documented case of violence against children from an archaeological context.
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Bioarchaeologists use skeletal health indicators to measure how ancient populations adapted to th... more Bioarchaeologists use skeletal health indicators to measure how ancient populations adapted to their physical, cultural and biological environments. Skeletons of infants and children are rarely included in these kinds of analyses because of factors such as poor preservation, small sample size, incomplete recovery or research design. In this study, skeletal remains of juveniles aged from foetal to 15 years (N = 238) from Kellis 2, a Romano-Byzantine cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, are analysed to shed light on how infants and children were affected by Roman policies during the early years of the Christianisation of Egypt. Non-specific indicators of physiological stress (cribra orbitalia, enamel hypoplasia and osteoperiostitis) are analysed for post-natal individuals and interpreted in the context of the physical, cultural and biological landscapes. Results from these analyses suggest moderate levels of skeletal and dental stress with a marked improvement in general health from pre-Roman times. This study contributes to a better understanding of juvenile paleoepidemiology and mortuary practices in Egypt during the Romano-Byzantine period. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Books by Sandra Wheeler
Preface Crime scenes involving human skeletal remains can be very complex scenes to process. Unfo... more Preface Crime scenes involving human skeletal remains can be very complex scenes to process. Unfortunately, standard training for many crime scene units and law enforcement personnel typically does not include methods for search and recovery of human remains. Many ...
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Conference Presentations by Sandra Wheeler
The ostensibly rapid and dynamic effects of subadult growth and development have been difficult t... more The ostensibly rapid and dynamic effects of subadult growth and development have been difficult to define in stable isotopic reconstructions of bioarchaeological samples although it is known that δ15N and δ13C values can be varyingly affected by metabolic state (e.g. growth and illness) yielding intra-individual variation in values between tissues and, in several cases, regions of the same tissue1-6. Examinations of faster areas of growth (e.g. metaphyses of majority vs. minority growth) for the same bony element have not shown significant variation in isotopic values that could be attributed to a state of growth and concurrent positive nitrogen balance5-6. This study contributes to the ongoing search to identify intra-individual differences and physiological state around time of death by comparing humeral and femoral δ15N and δ13C values for a sample of subadults who lived and died during the Middle Ages in Alytus, Lithuania.
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Although considered a disease of modern industrial societies, skeletal and soft tissue evidence o... more Although considered a disease of modern industrial societies, skeletal and soft tissue evidence of secondary malignant cancers is becoming more evident in the ancient world. Here we present two cases of advanced metastatic carcinoma from ancient Egypt, both most likely representative of breast cancer that metastasized throughout the skeleton. The first case, from the site of Dayr al Barsha, dates to the 3rd Dynasty period (circa 2660 BC) and may well represent the earliest skeletal evidence for this disease. This individual, an adult female approximately 45 years of age at death, displays multiple characteristic metastatic lesions throughout her skeleton. The second case, from the Kellis 2 cemetery in Dakhleh Oasis dating to the Romano-Christian period (circa 100 to 360 AD), is also an adult female approximately 40 years of age at death and displays similar characteristic metastatic lesions, however, in limited distribution. Given the advanced stage of cancer represented in both cases, we also explore possible pain management strategies used in ancient Egypt.
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Evidence of metastatic carcinoma is believed to be a rare occurrence in the archaeological record... more Evidence of metastatic carcinoma is believed to be a rare occurrence in the archaeological record and can be overlooked without thorough contextual analysis of remains. When lesions characteristic of metastatic carcinoma are discovered, a differential diagnosis should be conducted to eliminate possible taphonomic effects or other diseases. It is crucial to employ all possible analytical methods, so that an accurate diagnosis may be achieved. However in many instances, analysis is limited to only macro- and/or microscopic methods, making it difficult to determine the type of disease or, more specifically, the type of cancer present. Here we present a comprehensive characteristic assessment with the aim of reaching the most accurate differential diagnosis of cancer possible without the aid of destructive analysis or radiographs. The remains of an adult female from Dayr al-Barshā, Egypt (circa 2660 BC) with extensive lytic lesions were evaluated to identify specific diagnostic traits and develop a stepped methodology for differential diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma in skeletal remains. Variable size and appearance of lesions, prevalence of lesions to appear on certain skeletal elements, and many additional taphonomic and physical factors were considered during analysis. It was determined through these methods that the individual most likely suffered from an advanced stage of breast cancer. Thus, the differentiation of metastatic carcinoma from taphonomic effects and other diseases is possible when the age and sex of the individual are considered in conjunction with a thorough macroscopic and microscopic analysis of the location and appearance of the lesions on the skeleton.
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Peer Reviewed Journal Articles by Sandra Wheeler
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Papers by Sandra Wheeler
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