Original paper
A Prehispanic infant from Tenerife with diffuse microporotic lesions
González-Reimers, Emilio; Rodríguez-Caraballo, Selene; Ordóñez, Alejandra C.; Carballo-Pérez, Jared; Vacas-Fumero, Emilio; Marrero-Salas, Efraín; Arnay-de-la-Rosa, Matilde
Anthropologischer Anzeiger Volume 80 No. 2 (2023), p. 205 - 223
published: Mar 16, 2023
published online: Dec 2, 2022
manuscript accepted: Nov 4, 2022
manuscript received: Oct 20, 2021
DOI: 10.1127/anthranz/2022/1593
ArtNo. ESP140008002006, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
We describe diffuse microporotic lesions observed in most of the scattered skeletal remains belonging to a ≈ 6 months-old female (genetic sexing) prehispanic (antiquity ≈ 600 years BP) individual recovered from a small recess of a basaltic burial cave in the highlands (2300 m above sea level) of Tenerife. Although sphenoid wings were lacking, microporotic lesions were present in several bones, especially in the hard palate, basilar part of the occipital bone, outer aspect of the maxilla, and proximal half of the right humerus, accompanied by a subtle periosteal reaction. Although non-specific, bone lesions may be compatible with scurvy, possibly in the context of malnutrition, that probably also affected the mother, given the young age of the infant and her dependence on maternal feeding. Pathophysiological connections among iron deficiency, vitamin C deficiency and vitamin D deficiency are discussed. Both observational reports on paleopathological cases of diffuse microporotic lesions as well as experimental studies devoted to discern the relative and combined effects of hypoxia-mediated bone marrow expansion, protein-calorie malnutrition, ascorbate, vitamin D or iron deficiency on such lesions are needed.
Keywords
scurvy • vitamin C • Guanches • bone microporotic lesions • ascorbic acid • malnutrition • infantile burial • Las Cañadas del Teide