Abstract
In recent decades, an increasing number of studies have aimed to shed
light on the origin and spread of tuberculosis in past human
populations. Here we present the results of a systematic
palaeodemographic and palaeopathological survey of the Early Mediaeval
population of Gars/Thunau (Lower Austria), which – at this stage –
includes 373 individuals recovered at two archaeological sub-sites: a
fortified settlement (including a necropolis) at the top of a hill –
probably reserved for social and military elites; and a large riverine
settlement at the foot of the hill, a so-called ‘suburbium’, where
burials and an area of ‘industrial’ character were discovered. We
recorded a great number of pathological alterations and a variety of
‘classical’ features of tuberculosis, such as vertebral destructions
(Pott's disease) and joint destructions, and other pathological
(unspecific) features probably linked with Mycobacterium tuberculosis
infection (e.g. new bone formation at the inner surface of the ribs,
endocranial alterations in the form of ‘pits’, and new bone formation at
the cranial base). We hypothesize that the two contemporaneous
(∼900–1000 AD) populations of Gars/Thunau differed not only in their
social affiliation/condition, but also in the type and frequencies of
their population-density-related infectious diseases (in particular
tuberculosis). Moreover, we investigated the molecular genetic evidence
of the causative organism in a few selected immatures exhibiting
pathological changes at the inner wall of the cranium and discuss these
findings in regard to the macroscopic features observed. Finally, we
analysed carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of both populations and
strontium isotope ratios of the hill-top inhabitants in order to
reconstruct certain aspects of diet and mobility to test our hypothesis
concerning the specific social and/or military character of the site.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | S51-S59 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Tuberculosis |
Volume | 95 |
Issue number | S1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jun 2015 |
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 103014 Nuclear physics
- 601009 Historical auxiliary sciences
- 106056 Biological anthropology
Keywords
- Early Mediaeval Austria
- Demography
- Pathology
- Tuberculosis
- DNA sequencing
- Isotopes
- Diet
- Mobility
- DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS
- RIB LESIONS