Physical Anthropology

This chapter traces histories of ethical considerations, policies, politics, and practices relating to the collection of human remains, from their beginnings in Europe around 1750 to the present. We examine the changing, context-specific legal, cultural and ethical frameworks and practices embedded in global and regional structures that made the collection of human remains possible. We pay specific attention to the collection of human remains, particularly skulls, for racial science. In numerous cases, collecting human remains was in breach of context-specific norms, rules, and laws. In that sense and from today's perspective, the described practices of collecting and often the collections themselves embody profound ethical violations, especially insofar as they were grounded upon and served to support racist and colonial orders and other forms of oppression and exploitation. Ethical considerations are not only a contemporary issue, however, as concerns related to collecting and collections of human remains for science accompanied these practices ever since they began. The collection of human remains in Europe was driven not only by medical education and research, but also by the intertwined Enlightenment projects of developing a comprehensive understanding of the world alongside the creation of racial classifications and hierarchies. The roots of collecting practices can be traced back to the Wunderkammern, or curiosity cabinets, of Europe's early modern period. These were zones of intercultural contact and imagined foreignness that showcased diverse artefacts and specimens, reflecting the collector's prestige (Collet, 2012).

Nuovi progetti per capire la natura della materia oscura I ntraprendere un percorso universitario per noi ragazzi è il più delle volte sinonimo di investimento per un futuro lavorativo purtroppo non sempre troppo prossimo. Ciò a cui spesso non si pensa è che l'università non serve soltanto per il "dopo" ma anche soprattutto per il "durante". L'università è un'occasione, una possibilità che si rinnova giorno dopo giorno, offrendoci idee di formazione e crescita, suggerendoci di sviluppare capacità di cui non avevamo consapevolezza. Come è successo a noi, tre studentesse -all'atto della stesura del progetto -di un corso di laurea non molto conosciuto, che hanno riscoperto il gusto di scrivere ed imparato, seppur in maniera rudimentale, ad essere una redazione. Una redazione scientifica in cui ognuno è divenuto segugio in cerca di novità e notizie, di scoperte e del miglior modo per comunicarle ai colleghi studenti ed al mondo universitario in toto. Per questo non possiamo che dire grazie all'Università di Bari nella persona del Magnifico Rettore Corrado Petrocelli per aver voluto investire nella nostra idea e nella più ampia accezione della parola Cultura; al prof. Francesco Adduci per averci spinte a realizzare questa iniziativa e a tutti i docenti del referee board, che hanno dato i loro appoggio al nostro progetto; un enorme grazie a tutti coloro che hanno dedicato il loro tempo e le loro competenze e professionalità a noi ed al nostro progetto, nello specifico i professori

There have been archaeological and ethnographic reports of artificially modified crania from all continents. Archaeological excavations at the late fifth millennium BCE cemetery of Tol-e Chega Sofla, located southwest of the Iranian plateau, also revealed these crania. This paper uses the morphometric approach to study Tol-e Chega Sofla's modified crania. The outlines of normal and modified crania of Chega Sofla and Khuzestan residents' specimens were considered. How accurate is the morphometric approach in identifying and recognizing Chega Sofla's modified skulls from normal ones? Can it recognize small variations in the skull's morphology, such as the flattening of the squamous part of the occipital bone? The results of this method can be compared with descriptive studies. Finally, it is shown that the morphometric approach based on Elliptic Fourier Analysis can identify the deformed skull of Chega Sofla and its intensity, as well as the flattening of the squamous part of the occipital bone.

Se analizan las expresiones culturales que comprendían la exhibición de cráneos en
distintos momentos en Mesoamérica, desde el punto de vista de la antropología. Parten de una base ideológica común, del momento en el que se formaron las primeras sociedades complejas basadas en el cultivo del maíz, y se mostraron a lo largo del espacio y del tiempo con una gran variabilidad en sus expresiones, relacionadas sobre todo con ceremonias que giraban en torno a la muerte, de acuerdo con los rasgos culturales particulares de cada grupo. La palabra tzompantli, solo se empleaba por los grupos de lengua nahuatl para nombrar a las empalizadas donde se exponían cráneos en el centro del actual México durante el Posclásico. Si bien todas estas manifestaciones emplearon el cráneo o la cabeza como elemento ritual, su origen, función y contexto ceremonial  variaron de forma significativa, incluso en el área nuclear del término. Ahora se aplica este de modo general para referirse a estructuras que contienen cráneos, aun cuando muchas no comparten sus características esenciales, por lo que se sugiere que habría que acotar el vocablo como aportación del trabajo. Para aclarar estas diferencias, se aportan
testimonios y descripciones realizadas por los soldados y los frailes durante la conquista, así como datos que ofrecen información arqueológica y antropológica, pero sin incidir en ellos, y que en general se usan como apoyo a lo descrito en las fuentes históricas.

En Mesoamérica, los huesos humanos fueron utilizados como herramientas de trabajo, armas y objetos votivos y religiosos. Sin embargo, los huesos de individuos sacri cados tenían un valor simbólico adicional, vinculado al acto de inmolación. Aunque parecen haber sido comunes, las evidencias de cráneos pintados recuperados en contextos arqueológicos son escasas. Este reporte de caso presenta los resultados del análisis osteobiográ co de un osario hallado en 2015 en Tehuacán, Puebla, al sur de una estructura ubicada en uno de los altares de sacri cio frente al templo dedicado a Xipe Tótec, una deidad asociada con la fertilidad, la regeneración de los ciclos agrícolas y la guerra. Complementada con análisis arqueométricos e iconográ cos, esta investigación aporta nuevas evidencias sobre los huesos humanos pintados y su papel en los rituales de sacri cio, contribuyendo así a la discusión sobre su materialidad y simbolismo en Mesoamérica.

В статье дается краткое описание хранящихся в Музеях Московского Кремля и РГАКФД кино- и фотосъемок архитектурной реставрации и археологических исследований в Архангельском соборе в 1962 – 65 гг., в том числе вскрытия гробниц Ивана Грозного, его сыновей Ивана и Федора и князя М.В. Скопина-Шуйского. По документам прослеживается история кино- и фотосъемок и их авторства.

The widespread circulation and alteration of Johann Friedrich Blumenbach's racial theory across various contexts is a key reason for its differing evaluations. This chapter will explore Blumenbach's practices of "collecting" and comparing skulls, focusing on the methodological changes in relation to concepts of "race" introduced by his successors, Samuel George Morton in the United States and Paul Broca in France. I argue that these changes and adaptations in different places contributed to the stability of Blumenbach's classification. Relationality links "race" and comparing, which is what makes their relationship so revealing. Practices of comparing ensured the stability of "race" through their continuous and flexible actualization in different contexts. The meaning and conceptualization of racial theories evolved through the intricate interaction of various practices, scientific principles, and emerging political and social developments. Keywords Race • Blumenbach • Physical anthropology • Comparing • Empiricism At the threshold of the nineteenth century, Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752-1840) formulated arguably the most influential racial categories in history, which continue to resonate today. His pivotal role in the research of scientific racism underscores the importance of his work. Blumenbach's theory, however, would not have gained such prominence if it had not been further disseminated, operationalized, and popularized in academic circles. This perspective is crucial for comprehending the enduring influence of Blumenbach's racial theory in diverse social, political, and cultural contexts.

The issue of the Other and its portrayal in literature and criticism is one of the most prominent philosophical and critical intellectual issues, taking many different paths depending on the objectives and functions of the studies; thus, the image or definition of this Other is not confined to a single label or category; Some may view it as groups, peoples, individuals, creeds, or even abstract ideas. The issue of the Other and its characterisation is rooted in the reality of difference; difference from the Other who stands on the opposing, divergent side. This difference does not necessarily result in hostility or hatred, for some of this Other may be the creator themselves, albeit on the opposite side of a particular issue; and the manifestations of this ‘other’ appear in the literary text in various forms, perhaps most notably in the creator’s deep pride and attachment to their cultural identity, with its diverse criteria and forms, whether national, cultural, religious or traditional; and the more the presence of the ‘other’ dominates the poet’s consciousness or reality, the more we find him reinforcing the identity that distinguishes him or elevates him above the ‘other’.
  We began our research with a two-part introduction: the first concerning the meaning of the ‘other’ in criticism, and the second on identity or the passion for identity in poetry. We then structured the research into two sections based on the poet’s cultural identity criteria; the first dealt with national and cultural identity and its manifestations in poetry, whilst the second section focused on national and heritage identity and the extent of his devotion to it, until we found its resonance in his words and meanings. The conclusion presented the research findings; Did the poet succeed in winning his bet and establishing his identity in the eyes of others? Was his use of stylistic devices precise, and did he achieve the semantic dimensions he intended in his poetic text?

El estudio del origen del hombre americano constituye uno de los temas más
importantes de la antropología y la arqueología. La teoría más aceptada sostiene
que los primeros pobladores de
América provinieron de Asia y
cruzaron hacia el continente
americano a través del estrecho de
Bering, durante la última glaciación. En
ese período, el descenso del nivel del
mar permitió la formación de un
puente terrestre conocido como
Beringia, que conectaba Siberia con
Alaska.

“… some human populations such as Australian aboriginals indeed share with archaic humans like Neanderthals a robust skull with pronounced brow ridges, which [led] Darwin’s bulldog, Thomas Huxley (in Lyell 1863), to compare them with Neanderthals”.
Günter Bechly.

Both in its geographic location and its chronology, the Mass grave of Uxul (Campeche, Mexico) differs markedly from other sites in the Maya region with archaeological evidence of ritual violence. Mostly dated to the Terminal or Postclassic period; nonetheless, the Uxul mass burial was created much earlier, during the first half of the 7th century A.D. (i.e., Late Classic period), a period presenting few archaeological examples of ritual violence. The context, documented at the bottom of an artificial cave (initially created and used as a water reservoir), contained the remains of at least 15 individuals and various animals. During the excavation process, field documentation pointed to the fact that most of the individuals’ heads had been removed from their torsos before deposition. As these skeleton remains were covered by a sealing layer of clay, they were documented and recovered in an exceptional state of preservation. While the full scope of the different manipulations of the remains has been documented, amply described in previous publications, this contribution focuses on the sequence (and potential meaning) of the manipulation and deposition process, and on the results of the analysis of the lithic tools buried with the human remains. Furthermore, this contribution explores the implications resulting from following the different lines of evidence, which hint towards a carefully planned and executed “choreography of violence” that lead to inferences about the motivations leading to the execution and manipulation of the documented individuals.

The authors present part of a burial ground of the Late Migration Period in Drnholec - Pod sýpkou (Břeclav district, Czech Republic), where seven graves were discovered in 2016 and 2017. The grave goods were identified, by typological analysis, as Langobardian/Lombardian. The authors argue that even a small part of a cemetery with a limited number of graves can bring important new data and open strategic questions, challenging traditional interpretations. The paper aims to present the results of excavation in the light of archaeological, anthropological and zooarchaeological perspectives. Archaeological part is focused on presenting the grave units and the cemetery as a contextual unit. Stylistic and typological analysis of grave goods, radiocarbon dates and probability modeling were used to establish the chronology of the cemetery. Anthropological and palaeopathological examinations were accompanied with buccal dental microwear analysis and tooth cementum annulation (TCA) which pro...

Zooarkeoloji hem arkeolojinin en temel yöntemlerinden biri, hem de özgün teori ve tartışma konuları üretmiş başlı başına bir bilim dalıdır. Zooarkeolojinin başlıca malzemesi olan hayvan kalıntıları, Türkiye, Güneybatı Asya ve Balkanlar'daki tüm kazılardan bol miktarda elde edilir. Zooarkeoloji beslenmeden ritüele, iklimden stratigrafiye, mamut türlerinin neslinin tükenmesinden Osmanlı İmparatorluğu'nun ekonomik etkilerine kadar arkeolojinin ilgilendiği pek çok konuya ışık tutan çalışmalar yapar. Bunun yanı sıra, hayvanların evrimi, hayvan topluluklarının değişen dağılım alanları gibi biyolojik konuları aydınlatabilen pek az bilim dalından biridir. Bu bölümde zooarkeoloji en son gelişmeler de dahil olmak üzere ana hatlarıyla tanıtılacaktır.

Niets van deze uitgave mag worden verveelvoudigd in een geautomatiseerd gegevensbestand of openbaar gemaakt door middel van druk, fotokopie, microfilm of op welke andere wijze ook zonder voorafgaande schriftelijke toestemming van de uitgever. Voor zover het maken van kopieën uit deze uitgave is toegestaan op grond van artikel 16B Auteurswet 1912 jo, het besluit van 29 juni 1974, St.b. 351, zoals gewijzigd bij Besluit van 23 augustus 1985, St.b. 471 en artikel 17 Auteurswet 1912, dient men daarvoor wettelijk verschuldigde vergoedingen te voldoen aan de Stichting Reprorecht (Postbus 882, 1180 AW Amstelveen). Voor het overnemen van gedeelte(n) van deze uitgave in bloemlezingen, readers en andere compilatiewerken (artikel 16 Auteurswet 1912) dient men zich tot de uitgever te wenden. De Gemeente Nijmegen aanvaardt geen aansprakelijkheid voor eventuele schade voortvloeiend uit de toepassing van de adviezen of het gebruik van de resultaten van dit onderzoek. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm or any other means, without the written permission from the publisher. 7 Waarderend botanisch en parasitologisch onderzoek Robine Houchin 7.1 Doel-en vraagstellingen 7.2 Materiaal 7.3 Methoden 7.4 Resultaten en discussie 7.5 Conclusie 8 Waarderend DNA-en stabiele isotopenonderzoek

Проведены предварительные краниометрические исследования черепов из некрополя Крепостного городища. Удалось измерить 10 мужских и 13 женских черепов, в том числе три женских черепа с искусственной деформацией. По усредненным данным мужские черепа из некрополя Крепостного городища наибольшее сходство проявляют с серией из Кобяковского некрополя I–II вв. н.э. и с суммарной серией из Танаиса. А женские черепа сближаются и с черепами из меотских некрополей, и с сериями из сарматских курганов.

Dispersal patterns are critical for understanding social systems as they influence social interactions and relationships. Spider monkeys (Ateles spp.) are typically described as being characterized by male philopatry and female dispersal, with these patterns reflected in stronger affiliative and cooperative relationships among males than among females. Recent findings, however, indicate that male-male relationships may not be as uniformly strong as previously thought, which suggests that male philopatry in spider monkeys may not be universal. Here, we report the first confirmed cases of male immigration and group takeover in spider monkeys. Data were collected on one community of Ateles geoffroyi in northwestern Costa Rica. Behavioral and demographic data were recorded during subgroup follows across 6.5 years, and fecal samples of community members were collected for genetic analysis of related-ness. We documented two separate cases of immigration involving multiple males, which resulted in take-over of the study community by extra-community males and the concomitant disappearance of the resident males. In the study community, males were no more closely related to one another, on average, than females were, contrary to what would be expected if males were the more philopatric sex. Comparison of corrected assignment indices for males and females also revealed no evidence of sexbiased dispersal. Our findings suggest that in spider monkeys male immigration may occur under certain demographic circumstances, contributing to a view of greater flexibility in their social system than previously appreciated. This discovery has implications for other species that are typically characterized by male philopatry. Am J Phys Anthropol 000:000-000, 2013.

The aim of the study was a paleoradiological analysis of one of the few completely preserved pre-Columbian child mummies from the Barranca Valley region. The goal also included an attempt to reconstruction of the antemortem appearance of the face. The mummy comes from the pre-Columbian cemetery of Cerro la Horca, located in the Fortaleza River Valley. This cemetery has been subjected to systematic looting over the years. The activities of grave robbers resulted not only in the destruction of grave contexts and material culture relics, but also in the destruction of the bodies of the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the valley buried in the cemetery. The examined mummy, to our knowledge, is the only completely preserved body from this archaeological site. The analysis used conventional computed tomography, as well as standard anthropological methods and facial reconstruction techniques. The age at the time of the death was estimated at 2 to 3 years. The light color of a child's hair suggests the presence of protein deficits known as kwashiorkor. The condition is most common after weaning and switching to carbohydrate-rich foods. The facial reconstruction performed allowed the reconstruction of the child's life-like appearance and is the first reconstruction made for mummified remains from the area.

This paper investigates the menstrual labour-collecting culturally appropriate products, maintaining them, educating and training other menstrual bodies, providing emotional support, complying with social norms and limits, and even upholding social taboos-that is performed by and expected of menstruating bodies by the household, community, and the state. Employing social reproduction theory (Bhattacharya, 2017) and the concept of emotional labour (Hochschild, 1983), the paper argues that this menstrual labour, essential for biological and social reproduction, is often invisibilised and naturalised as a female responsibility. The study employs a mixed methods approach integrating a critical analysis of the GoI's menstrual hygiene schemes with primary survey data from 500 school-going menstruators in Kolkata West Bengal collected over a period of 6 months in 2024. It contends that these women are socially and infrastructurally required to bear the additional burden of menstrual labour, not only for themselves or their immediate kin but for entire communities: work that is consistently invisibilised through normalisation.

The ABO blood group system is one of the most well-known examples of genetic variation in humans and has become an important tool for studying human evolution. Anthropology is the study of humans and human societies, and it includes several subfields such as cultural anthropology and biological anthropology. While cultural anthropology focuses on human beliefs, traditions, and social behaviors, biological anthropology examines human evolution, genetics, and biological variation. Biological anthropologists use traits like blood types to study how humans evolved, migrated, and adapted to different environments over tim Blood types A, B, AB, and O are determined by the presence or absence of specific antigens on the surface of red blood cells. These antigens are controlled by different alleles of a single gene, making the ABO system an example of genetic polymorphism. In fact, the ABO system "was the first genetic polymorphism discovered in humans" (Segurel, Laure, et al, 2012). Blood type variation exists because multiple alleles have continued to exist instead of one replacing the others. According to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, allele frequencies should remain constant if no evolutionary forces act on a population. However, real populations are influenced by migration, genetic drift, and natural selection, all of which change how frequently certain blood types appear. Scientists have increasingly used biological markers like blood groups to better understand early human populations. Because physical evidence from early humans is limited, genetic markers provide important insight into how humans migrated, adapted, and evolved. Blood groups reveal patterns related to immune function, diet, and environmental pressures.

Atti del Convegno di Studio "Federico II tra storia e storiografia" (Lecce-Leverano-Oria, 25, 26 e 27 settembre 2025). Il saggio descrive il contributo offerto dall’Autore al progetto di miglioramento della fruizione del sito museale UNESCO di Castel del Monte, promosso dalla Direzione Regionale Musei Puglia. Dopo essere stato selezionato nel 2023 con bando pubblico, l’Autore è stato incaricato in qualità di Collaboratore storico dell’arte di redigere i testi dei pannelli didascalici interni alle sale, i testi delle audioguide, i testi del video tour, i testi dei tavoli tattili e ha contribuito all’individuazione degli elementi mixed reality. Castel del Monte è oggi dotato di innovativi sussidi alla fruizione, funzionali a rendere la narrazione della storia accessibile, coinvolgente e scientificamente rigorosa, contrastando la disinformazione e costruendo un ponte cognitivo ed emotivo tra il monumento e il visitatore.
Il Convegno è stato a cura di Mario Spedicato e Giuseppe Caramuscio.
Journal website: https://ese-journals.unisalento.it/index.php/idomeneo/issue/view/2170

This paper tracks long-distance migration on the Pacific coast that began no later than the thirteenth century AD. Genome-wide data for 21 sampled individuals from the lower and middle Chincha Valley of southern Peru show shared ancestry with groups 700 km to the north. A large-scale polity known as the Chincha Kingdom controlled the Chincha Valley from the thirteenth century until the fifteenth century, when it fell to the Inca Empire. The earliest migrants have unadmixed ancestry, whereas in subsequent generations, intermarriage resulted in admixtures from neighboring coastal areas. Relatives buried together in a family ossuary practiced consanguineous endogamy. We build a generation-scale Bayesian model informed by an aDNA-based family tree and individual calibration curves for estimated proportions of marine diet, addressing long-standing difficulties with temporal precision on the Pacific coast due to the marine reservoir effect and uncertainty inherent in estimating marine consumption based on δ 15 N. These data demonstrate population continuity from the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries, coinciding with persistent traditions of cranial modification and postmortem red pigment application. We reveal close-knit and far-reaching coastal interaction networks that shaped the sociopolitical landscape encountered by Inca emissaries before they integrated these communities into their empire. 1234567890():,; 1234567890():,;

This paper explores the possible relationship between dietary patterns, gut ecology, autonomic regulation, and behavioral tendencies through a comparative interpretation of bonobos and chimpanzees from the perspective of Oriental Medicine Neurodynamics (OMN™). Recent research in primatology and gut-brain axis studies suggests that diet influences bile acid metabolism, gut microbiota composition, serotonergic pathways, and behavioral regulation. Building upon these findings, this paper proposes a hypothesis that long-term dietary tendencies may contribute not only to metabolic adaptation but also to characteristic autonomic and behavioral patterns. Using the OMN™ five-phase dynamic model, bonobos are interpreted as exhibiting relatively stabilized regulatory dynamics associated with plant-rich diets and buffering physiological tendencies, whereas chimpanzees are interpreted as exhibiting stronger outward-directed behavioral activation associated with higher animal-protein intake and enhanced hepatobiliary metabolic adaptation. The paper does not argue for biological determinism, nor does it reduce temperament to diet alone. Rather, it proposes a systems-oriented framework linking diet, gut ecology, autonomic regulation, and behavioral expression across multiple biological layers. This article is intended as a theoretical and interdisciplinary hypothesis paper integrating classical East Asian medical concepts with contemporary findings in gut-brain axis research, behavioral ecology, and systems biology.

Primate behavior is significantly influenced by their habitat, especially within the confines of a zoo environment. The effects of captivity on a primate’s locomotion are particularly important when determining whether a habitat will benefit the general welfare and health of the primate in captivity. The question proposed is whether captivity affects the locomotion patterns of gibbons in captivity, and whether they are more terrestrial than they are arboreal. The methodology for our study was focal observation of two siamang subjects as well as western lowland gorillas from the San Diego Zoo, using the terrestrial data gathered from the gorillas to then compare with siamangs in an effort to better understand the thresholds between terrestrial and arboreal locomotion amongst primates. We also used wild siamang data to determine whether captivity truly affected their locomotor behavior. We found that siamangs, although somewhat arboreal, were mostly terrestrial throughout the observation period, a departure from their natural behaviors. The gorilla data, however, showed that the siamangs were more arboreal than their gorilla cousins. This study suggests that the habitat for siamangs at the San Diego Zoo isn’t as enriching as it could be and could use improvements, such as simulations of foliated canopies, to increase the activity of their captive siamangs.

This study presents the analysis of a naturally mummified adult male recovered from a cemetery located adjacent to the Las Turquesas mine in the Atacama Desert. A radiocarbon date of 1140 ± 20 bp (UGAMS 73501), calibrated to 894-1016 ad, places this individual at the beginning of the Late Intermediate Period. A CT scan examination revealed evidence of a lethal traumatic injury; however, the individual was recovered by his community and buried according to local funerary practices, accompanied by various grave goods. The individual suffered extensive blunt-force trauma, including a T4-T5 vertebral dislocation, multiple fractures of the ribs, clavicles, and scapulae, a wedge fracture at T12, and compression-related injuries in the lower limbs. The left tibia also exhibits an open oblique fracture of the mid-diaphysis, characterized by clean margins and slight lateral spurring and splintering. This pattern indicates a high-impact accident, most likely caused by a heavy object striking the upper left back. Such trauma is consistent with a rockfall or collapse within the galleries of the nearby turquoise mine. These findings offer valuable insight into the occupational hazards faced by ancient mining communities and underscore the significant physical risks associated with mineral extraction activities during this period.

Calcifications in the thyrohyoid ligament are uncommon and usually involve triticeal cartilage. This report analyzes an uncommon thyrohyoid ossification in an individual from the 18 th century. To study this ossification, an X-ray analysis was made and the measurements of the different segments of the bone were taken to compare to other cases. The radiographic images show a complete thyrohyoid ossification arising from the great horn of the hyoid with the non-clear presence of the triticeal cartilage. This form is rarely taken into account in typology studies so far, although its etiology is theorized. Different types of calcifications must be considered when clarifying terminologies, investigating their etiology, and whether they involve the triticeal cartilage. Literature review has been carried out to clarify the different types of calcifications in the thyrohyoid ligament and its terminology.

Primate social systems are remarkably diverse, and thus play a central role in understanding social evolution, including the biological origin of human societies. Although baboons have been prominently featured in this context, historically little was known about the westernmost member of the genus, the Guinea baboon (Papio papio). Here, we summarize the findings from the first years of observations at the field site CRP Simenti in the Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal. Guinea baboons reveal a nested multi-level social organization, with reproductive units comprising one "primary" male, one to several females, young, and occasionally "secondary" males at the base of the society. Three to five units form "parties," which team up with other parties to form a "gang." Different gangs have largely overlapping home ranges and agonistic interactions between different parties or gangs are rare. Some but not all strongly socially bonded males are h...

Background Traditional anthropometric measures such as body mass index (BMI) have limitations in accurately assessing cardiometabolic risk and body fat distribution. Consequently, advanced anthropometric indices have emerged as more specific tools for assessing metabolic health and predicting cardiovascular complications. Objectives To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the study population and evaluate its relationships with advanced anthropometric indices and selected cardiometabolic marker. Methods The study comprised of 2354 participants from the tertiary care setting and screened for metabolic syndrome using IDF and revised NCEP ATP III criteria. The demographic, anthropometric and biochemical data were recorded. BMI and advanced anthropometric indices and cardiometabolic marker, viz., body roundness index (BRI), conicity index (CI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), relative fat mass (RFM) and triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index), were computed. Results Advanced anthropometric indices and cardiometabolic marker showed significant associations with age, gender, BMI and BMI classification stages (p < 0.000). The prevalence of MetS was 40.2% according to IDF and 33.7% as per revised NCEP ATP III criteria. RFM showed the strongest associations (chi-square = 547.4 IDF, 349.6 revised NCEP ATP III). WHtR demonstrated a significant increase in MetS prevalence when elevated. BRI exhibited highest specificity (82% IDF, 71% revised NCEP ATP III). CI showed weakest associations. TyG index performed exceptionally with revised NCEP ATP III criteria (73.2% prevalence). IDF criteria identified more cases than revised NCEP ATP III. Conclusion IDF criteria identified more cases than revised NCEP ATP III. These indices effectively screen for MetS at population level. Multi-index approaches offer comprehensive risk assessment for identifying individuals at high risk of poor metabolic health.

Gigantopithecus blacki is among the most visible extinct hominoids in public-facing, secondary, textbook-level, and museum-style reconstructions, yet its anatomical record remains unusually narrow. The species is currently known from a dental and mandibular hypodigm: four partial mandibles and nearly 2,000 isolated teeth, with no recovered skull, pelvis, vertebrae, femur, tibia, hand, foot, or articulated postcranial material. In 2019, paleoproteomic work recovered dental-enamel protein sequences from one referred G. blacki molar from Chuifeng Cave and placed the specimen as an early-diverging pongine, close to the orangutan lineage. That result is a genuine scientific advance and should be treated as the strongest available molecular anchor for the taxon; the issue is not whether the tested molar can support a pongine placement, but whether one molecularly sampled referred tooth can support whole-body anatomical reconstruction. The argument does not require that primary researchers have uniformly overstated the evidence. Instead, it tracks how cautious primary results can become anatomical certainty in secondary summaries, public visuals, and simulated bodies. This paper distinguishes four evidentiary categories often compressed in secondary reconstructions: direct dental evidence, single-specimen molecular anchoring, comparative inference, and whole-body visualization. It argues that diet, dental development, approximate body size, and phylogenetic placement are valid targets of dental analysis when reported with appropriate uncertainty, but locomotion, posture, hand and foot anatomy, facial structure, and gait cannot be measured from teeth alone. A cautionary comparison is drawn from the Hemanthropus peii reassessment, in which internal dental imaging reassigned most of a historically named Asian Pleistocene “hominin” dental sample to Pongo. The lesson is not that G. blacki is misclassified, but that isolated Asian Pleistocene teeth can stabilize narratives beyond their evidentiary reach. The paper proposes a reporting template for dental-only hominoid taxa that separates measured traits from reference-taxon borrowing and flags full-body reconstructions as conditional visualizations rather than recovered anatomy.

Environmental pressures affecting health, such as pathogens or diet, play a major role in human evolution. Grasping these pressures enable us to understand human adaptation: the European Neolithic is a perfect playground for this. It is often seen as a period of health deterioration due to population growth and husbandry. Cases of co-infestations appear, as do zoonosis caused by promiscuity with animals. Agriculture induces a loss of dietary diversity and we observe a stature reduction, perceived as the consequence of unpredictable food availability. Nevertheless, we can go beyond this pejorative representation, and consider human adaptative processes allowed by phenotypic plasticity. Morphologically, the cusps adapt to functional changes. Enamel thickness adjusts, mainly on neolithic molars, becoming thicker at functional cusps involved in crushing and grinding food. Besides, the stature reduction may reflect an adaptative response: the organism favors immune defense and reproductive capacity over growth. We can also conjecture about an increase in women fertility. Women have more stress markers during the Neolithic, contrary to men, and their age distribution follows a gender based repartition: for women, it is close to preindustrial communities fertility pattern. These stresses could be socially based, or reflect an increase of pregnancies. Additionnally, pathogens and population density enable genetic evolutions. Optitype, a HLA typing method, tries predicting genotypes; HLA, a gene cluster, plays a major role in adaptative immunity. By analysing allele frequency, signatures of selection appear associated with the Neolithic, suggesting that early Neolithic groups in central Europe experienced important immune adaptations to their new lifestyles. Nevertheless, admixture with local hunter-gatherers also appears as an important factor. Thus, the Neolithic groups adapted biologically to their challenges; it is certainly the same culturally, notably with medical practices. The post Neolithic increase of stature may be a reflection of these adaptations balancing the pressures of the Neolithic transition

Il seguente contributo intende approfondire, in ottica analitica e illustrativa, la visualizzazione diacronica del paesaggio attraverso un’indagine storico-artistica che intreccia fenomenologia dell’arte, visione odologica e identità territoriale. Il comprensorio preso in esame è la subregione pugliese dell’Alta Murgia, oggetto di una ricerca interdisciplinare relativa a un progetto di Dottorato incentrato nell’ambito degli studi sui paesaggi culturali. Il recupero sistematico delle opere d’arte che documentano l’evoluzione della percezione estetica e simbolica del paesaggio altomurgiano, esplora le potenzialità espressive della rappresentazione spaziale e delle sue significazioni tra passato e presente. Il lavoro esposto presenta risultati parziali della ricerca, analizzando le trasformazioni e le dinamiche territoriali descritte e narrate per immagini.

Self-reported morbidity (SRM) is used in public health studies to assess community health profile and awareness. SRM was associated with socioeconomic status more sensitively than objective health measures. However, its usefulness was critically questioned for the plausible bias of subjective social experience. The present study assessed whether anthropometric profile, as objective marker of health, significantly varied according to SRM status among urban adult male slum dwellers. This study included 474 adult men. Height, weight, and skinfolds thicknesses were measured and body mass index was computed. Morbidity was recorded as self-reported incidence of any illness during the previous 30 days and also for the previous one year excluding 30 days prior to the study. All the anthropometric measures, except height, had the lowest values in repeated illness group and the highest in the group reporting no illness. The study clearly indicated that SRM was a sensitive indicator of nutritional status

Bioarchaeologists, museums and universities, journal editorial boards, and academic professional organizations are working toward ethical engagements with human remains, with a focus on descendant community engagement. This article reexamines past and present bioarchaeological descendant community engagement to consider how "descendant community" has been defined. The authors present three case studies to highlight variation in descendant community definition in practice. The first describes the Loretto Bioarchaeology Project, a community-engaged investigation of the lives of Catholic Sisters (1870-1969) based in Denver, Colorado. The Loretto Community of Sisters and affiliates acts as the descendant community, centering 'chosen' family over biological relationships. The second case study discusses two hurricane victims from the 1928 Hurricane, in Belle Glade, Florida. A biological descendant community is impossible given the population of migrant laborers that died in the storm, but a community of care has been developed at a local memorial site for the storm. The third case study considers next-of-kin reported in archival documents pertaining to persons in the Huntington Anatomical Collection (1893-1921), currently housed at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History. While next-of-kin documented at decedents' deaths include biological kin, bonds were also created through shared residence and life in New York City, problematizing notions of lineal descendants in the present. The case studies represent a multiplicity of "family," "descendants," and "kin," complicating policies for defining and prioritizing descendant communities and offering examples of paths forward through different iterations of community in bioarchaeological practice. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

Both stable and radiogenic isotope analyses are widely applied in archaeological science to examine questions related to geochronology, diet, mobility, provenance and trade. Increasingly, measurements from materials of archaeological interest are used in conjunction with ‘isoscapes’ − spatially explicit maps of isotope composition from regional to continental scale. Comparison of analytical results to the spatial information available from isoscapes provides more nuanced interpretive power, particularly when several isotope systems are used in combination. Several isoscapes have become available for part or all the Australian continent in the last decade, generally developed for users in ecology, hydrology and mineral resource exploration. Here we review the development and interpretation of Australian isoscapes for hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, strontium, neodymium and lead. We then assess the possibilities and limitations of these isoscapes to address contemporary challenges in Australian archaeology.

El presente trabajo ofrece una síntesis de los conocimientos arqueológicos e históricos sobre el poblamiento andalusí mediante un inventario de hallazgos funerarios en Cataluña, con la provincia de Castellón como referente de comparación. Se presentan nuevos datos relativos a hallazgos aún inéditos de los yacimientos de Plà de Almatà (Balaguer) y la Vall d’Uixó (Castellón). Cataluña formaba parte de la Frontera Superior de al-Andalus, por lo que desarrolló unas características de poblamiento diferentes al resto del šarq al-Andalus, representado por la provincia de Castellón. Para investigar estas características, la arqueología funeraria y la antropología física aportan herramientas de gran utilidad. Aunque los aspectos tafonómicos y las oportunidades de excavación han influenciado el registro funerario disponible, los procesos históricos no deben desvincularse. Para este trabajo, se ha realizado un inventario exhaustivo y un análisis de los datos disponibles de estas regiones con e...

El presente trabajo ofrece una síntesis de los conocimientos arqueológicos e históricos sobre el poblamiento andalusí mediante un inventario de hallazgos funerarios en Cataluña, con la provincia de Castellón como referente de comparación. Se presentan nuevos datos relativos a hallazgos aún inéditos de los yacimientos de Plà de Almatà (Balaguer) y la Vall d’Uixó (Castellón). Cataluña formaba parte de la Frontera Superior de al-Andalus, por lo que desarrolló unas características de poblamiento diferentes al resto del šarq al-Andalus, representado por la provincia de Castellón. Para investigar estas características, la arqueología funeraria y la antropología física aportan herramientas de gran utilidad. Aunque los aspectos tafonómicos y las oportunidades de excavación han influenciado el registro funerario disponible, los procesos históricos no deben desvincularse. Para este trabajo, se ha realizado un inventario exhaustivo y un análisis de los datos disponibles de estas regiones con e...

The Andalusi farmstead (alquería) of Xaresa (Xeresa, Valencia) is one of the most thoroughly excavated rural sites of the period. These works have revealed several houses, a small pottery workshop, a water wheel and a maqbara (cemetery) with around 200 inhumations. An initial study of this burial site has recently been undertaken based on a random sample of 35 skeletons, which allowed a complete bioanthropological study and several genetic and isotopic profiles of this community. Thanks to these approaches, it is now possible to present a detailed health assessment of this peasant community by studying the skeletal remains from the site. The objective is twofold. On the one hand, to analyse various factors relevant to understanding the well-being of these people; these include their demographic profile, their diseases and pathologies, the markers of occupational stress or the quality of their diet, among others. On the other hand, to study the gender and age roles in the division of labour in this community, as well as the importance of maintenance activities for the success of this rural settlement, which remained populated from the second half of the 10th century until the Christian conquest, in 1239.

This review aimed to synthesize evidence from 2010-2024 on the nutritional status of adult tribal populations in India, with a focus on Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) as assessed by Body Mass Index (BMI). Given the persistent health disparities among India's Scheduled Tribes (STs), the study sought to examine geographic patterns, sex differentials, and contextual determinants of undernutrition across major tribal regions of the country. A systematic literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, and JSTOR to identify peer-reviewed studies on adult tribal nutrition in India published between 2010 and 2024. National datasets-including the Census of India (2011) and the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-2021)-were used to provide demographic and health context. Eligible studies reported BMI-based nutritional assessments using the WHO (1995) BMI classification (CED defined as BMI < 18.5 kg/m 2). Forty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Extracted data were summarized by region, tribe, sex, and CED prevalence. The review reveals pronounced regional and sex-based disparities in CED among tribal adults. Northern and Northeastern tribal groups exhibited highly variable CED levels, ranging from very low in the Apatani (≤2%) to extremely high among Gujjar and Bakerwal women (90.7%). Eastern India showed consistently elevated CED, particularly among the Bhumij, Lodha, Kheria, and Santal tribes, with female CED often exceeding 50%. Central and Western tribes-including the Gonds, Kharwar, Mawasi, and Tadvi-displayed widespread undernutrition driven by food insecurity, poverty, and limited healthcare access. Southern India showed critical CED prevalence among Jenu Kuruba and Koraga adults (>90%), while island populations such as the Shompens exhibited low CED but high anaemia burdens. NFHS-5 corroborated these findings, indicating serious national-level CED prevalence among ST adults (18.4% in men, 25.5% in women). Across regions, coexisting burdens of anaemia, tuberculosis, hemoglobinopathies (e.g., sickle cell disease), leprosy, and vector-borne diseases further compounded poor nutritional status. Adult tribal populations in India experience disproportionately high levels of CED, shaped by intersecting structural and cultural determinants including poverty, geographic isolation, gender inequality, food insecurity, and limited access to health services. The wide regional variability underscores the need for targeted, culturally informed, region-specific nutritional interventions. Strengthening surveillance, improving healthcare accessibility, and promoting community-engaged, bottom-up health strategies are essential for reducing disparities and achieving national commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the mandate to "Leave no one behind".

Il contributo propone una riflessione su temi che devono essere necessariamente considerati “classici” della storiografia ligure e che hanno prodotto nel tempo un’ampia letteratura. Tuttavia, l’articolo propone una prospettiva di osservazione volontariamente diversa e approda a proposte di lettura che non si possono considerare allineate a una tradizione di studi che ha privilegiato il carattere “straordinario” di Genova e – spesso – ha scelto di non confrontarsi con studi e sintesi di respiro decisamente più ampio.

Abstract Easter Island (or Rapa Nui), internationally renowned for its megalithic statues, is the most isolated inhabited island of the Pacific. Archaeological surveys undertaken from the end of the 19th century led to the discovery of the remains of several hundred human individuals. The majority were buried in monuments (funerary stone platform called ahu ) or in caves. This paper presents a study of the ancient Easter Islanders&#39; diet through carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of human tooth and bone collagen and, more particularly, evaluates the impact of gender, age, social status and location of burials. The 125 studied individuals are from 16 sites, which date mainly from the 17th to the 19th centuries. This anthropological material is housed at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural sciences and the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum of Easter Island. One hundred and seven individuals showed well-preserved collagen. The stable isotope data provide new information on ancient Easter Islander dietary habits. They demonstrate gender disparity in access to food resources and show that children were breastfed until 3 years of age. Furthermore, the isotopic signatures cluster according to the place of burial ( ahu ) indicating family dietary specificities. Finally, our study reveals influences of social status on food intake: individuals from Ahu Nau Nau , which is said to be the royal ahu , display the highest nitrogen and carbon isotope values. A greater consumption of marine products may explain this distinction.