Abstract
A cranium of a mature male (45-55 years) from a charnel house in Hallstatt, Upper Austria (set up in the 12th century and in use until modern times) exhibits multiple perforations that were most probably caused by a malignant tumour. The lesions vary between 44 and 4 millimetres in diameter and concern nearly all parts of the cranium (frontal, parietal, and occipital bone, maxilla), hereby pertaining to all cranial layers to a different degree. Osteolytic changes accompanied by some sclerotic bone formations are indicative of an active as well as chronic process at the time of death of the individual. Differential diagnosis was carried out by macroscopic inspection, the use of conventional radiography, computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy in the secondary electron- and backscattered electron-mode. Pathology-mimicking effects, diagenetic, and taphonomic damage as causative processes can be excluded. The same applies for various infectious diseases (mycotic, bacterial, tuberculous conditions) as well as several tumorous forms (Langerhans-cell histiocytosis, bone angioma, medullary plasmocytoma). The palaeopathological and clinical diagnostical criteria used suggest a secondary carcinoma.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 143-162 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Anthropologie: International Journal of Human Diversity and Evolution |
Volume | 56 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 106018 Human biology
Keywords
- Austria
- BENIGN
- Cranium
- Differential diagnosis by CT and SEM
- Hallstatt charnel house
- KANAM
- Metastatic carcinoma
- Modern times
- REMAINS
- TUMORS