Pseudopathological features on the Cranial Vault of a Child from the Medieval Settlement «Orlinoye gnezdo»

Abstract

Introduction. This paper presents the results of a study of the skeletal remains of a child from Burial 6, Excavation 1, Pit 10 of the «Orlinoye Gnezdo» (Eagle's Nest) settlement. The archaeological complex finds parallels with materials from the Samosdelka settlement, specifically layers dating back to the 12th-13th centuries, allowing the site to be attributed to the vicinity of the city of Saksin. As a result of archaeological work at the site, the skeletal remains of 11 individuals were discovered.

Materials and methods. The study was based on the skeletal remains of a 1,5-4 - year-old child from Burial 6, Excavation 1, Pit 10, which can only conditionally be dated back to the first half of the 14th century.

The anthropological material was analyzed using a standard protocol for assessing pathological conditions (Buzhilova, 1995, 1998). The description of the defects on the child's skull bones employed the terminology and recommendations for the study of skeletal remains proposed by specialists in forensic medical examination (Vlasyuk, 2012; Odinochkina, 2016). The child’s age was determined based on dental development and the length of diaphyses of the postcranial long bones (Ubelaker, 1978; Cardoso et al., 2014; Kufterin, 2024). Radiographic examination of the skeletal remains was conducted using the KRD-50/7 Helpic-Renex diagnostic X-ray system.

Results and discussion. The archaeological context suggests that Pit 10, located in squares 26, 27, 34, and 35 at the level of Situation 2 in Excavation 1 within the boundaries of Pit 10, was a refuse pit into which the child’s body was discarded.

Anthropological examination of the child’s skeletal remains revealed several pathological conditions: signs of porosity on the alveolar margins of the upper and lower jaws, the hard palate, and the lateral surfaces of the tibial diaphyses. The orbital roofs exhibit traces of cribra orbitalia. Light-colored dental calculus deposits were observed on the deciduous teeth. The defects located on the right and left supraorbital margins of the frontal bone and on the right greater wing of the sphenoid bone from the endocranial side are of particular interest.

Conclusion. The incisions identified on the child's frontal bone and on the right greater wing of the sphenoid bone occurred after the individual’s death. The defects discovered on the cranial vault bones are most likely the result of destructive bites from small rodents.

Funding. The work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant No. 24-28-00772 «Anthropological Study of Polyethnic Medieval Societies in the Lower Volga Region».

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