Παθολογικά ευρήματα σε σκελετούς ανθρώπων και ίππων από πρόσφατες ανασκαφές στη Σίνδο και το Πολύκαστρο
Part of : Το Αρχαιολογικό Έργο στη Μακεδονία και στη Θράκη ; Vol.18, No.1, 2004, pages 95-103
Issue:
Pages:
95-103
Parallel Title:
Pathological finds in human and horse skeletons from recent excavations at Sindos and Polykastro
Abstract:
Cases of paleopathology in two humans, five horses and one dog excavated in human cemeteries at Sindos and Polykastro (Central Macedonia, Greece) and dating from the 7th to the 4th centuries BC are reported in this paper due to their particular interest. An adult male from the Sindos tomb T-38 was found to have been victim of three severe peri-mortem traumas to his thoracic 6th. 7th and 8th vertebrae probably caused by a spearhead, dagger or xiphos (sword). The nature and the diagonal direction of the wounds on the ventral body of the vertebrae, i.e., from top left to bottom right, indicate a right-handed frontal attack probably during a polemic confrontation (T-38 was found buried with two spearheads) or an assassination. A middle-aged woman’s skeleton (Sindos, T-4) revealed a healed fracture of the left tibia, which had occurred some ten years ante mortem·, probably due to an old injury. In addition, her maxillary incisors and premolars had deep symmetric indentations probably caused by some occupational labor related to repetitive working with wool or leather.Horse-1 from Sindos was the oldest animal burial dating to the 7th-6th century BC. Under his lumbar-4 vertebra several bones and teeth of capra/ovis and sus species were found, perhaps remains of a sacrifice or a funeral dinner. Horse-2 resembles the modern ‘Skyros’ ponies and the grade-3 arthritis in his tarsal and metatarsal bones may well indicate his use as pack or carthorse. Horse-3 had a very interesting pathology, i.e., a compound fracture in the left metacarpal-3, which had healed ante mortem as shown by X-rays taken and the change of its angle during healing. Cases of fracture management in horses 2500 years ago are nonexistent in Greek bibliography. It is postulated that Horse-3, an old mare, may have driven the funeral cart of her owner to his/her grave so as to be sacrificed and be buried along. Horse-4 was a colt buried across a man (T-34, at ca. 55 cm), who had a wreath, strigli, silver coin and vase, finds which may indicate his being a cavalry officer. It is postulated that the horse may be related to the human buried across its grave. Horse-5 was a tall, aged mare with advanced tarsal pathology, which leads to the postulate that she served as pack or carthorse. Dog-1 buried close to her hind legs was a young female hunter of the modem «Gekas» type. Ashes found around their common burial may indicate sacrificial rituals as those described above. A common find in all horse burials at Sindos was the presence of numerous seashells (Cerastoderma edule Linneus) in each grave, which may indicate a particular ritual.Stable isotope analyses (Ô13C, δ15Ν) of samples from the Sindos fauna reveal that part of the horses’ diet may have consisted of fish thus confirming a statement made by Herodotos some 2500 years ago. However more analyses need to be made before this find is fully documented using samples from estuary fish, cattle and dogs and more horses of the same geographic area and the same time period.
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Keywords:
ανθρώπινα λείψανα, ζωικά λείψανα, Θεσσαλονίκη, συνέδρια
Notes:
Περιέχει εικόνες, γραφήματα και πίνακες
