Pathological and sub-pathological changes in European rabbit bones: Two reference cases to be applied to the analysis of archaeological assemblages
| Autor: | Marta Moreno-García, Carme Rissech, Jordi Nadal, Richard Thomas, Lluís Lloveras, Lauren Bellis, Xavier Tomás-Gimeno |
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| Přispěvatelé: | Generalitat de Catalunya, Moreno García, Marta [0000-0002-6735-9355], Moreno García, Marta |
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Archeology
Taphonomy Paleopatologia Paleopathology Archaeological record Population Skeletal disorders Biology Oryctolagus cuniculus Bone and Bones Pathology and Forensic Medicine Lesion medicine biology.domesticated_animal Animals Assemblage (archaeology) Restes d'animals (Arqueologia) education Pathological Zooarchaeology education.field_of_study Archaeology Rabbits Animal remains (Archaeology) medicine.symptom European rabbit Animal paleopathology |
| Zdroj: | Digital.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC instname Dipòsit Digital de la UB Universidad de Barcelona |
| Popis: | Objective: To provide prevalence data for future comparative analysis of the health status of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) accumulated in the archaeological record. Materials: Two contrasting assemblages were analysed for pathological and sub-pathological changes: 1) an assemblage of domestic modern rabbit bones; and 2) a non-anthropogenic accumulation of archaeological rabbit remains. Methods: The lesions observed macroscopically, under magnification, and radiographically in both assemblages are quantified and described. Results: In the first assemblage, pathological and sub-pathological changes mostly affected the lower limb bones and primarily took two forms: diaphyseal periosteal proliferation and hypervascularised distal physes. Differential diagnosis of the periosteal proliferation suggests that pododermatitis is the most probable cause. In the second assemblage fractures were the most common lesions, but isolated examples of hypervascularised physes, periosteal proliferation, and musculo-skeletal stress markers were also identified. The pathological changes recorded is typical of a naturally-accumulated population of wild rabbits. Conclusions: The prevalence of pathological and sub-pathological skeletal changes in the rabbits, and thus their health status, are closely related to living conditions. This study demonstrates the value of systematically recording pathologies in rabbit bones. Significance: We contribute new data to help understand rabbit interactions with humans in the past and also the environment they inhabited. Limitations: Working with modern samples frequently means only incomplete skeletons are available for study. In these cases lesion prevalence always needs to be interpreted with caution. Suggestions for further research: Paleopathological studies of rabbit remains are remarkable for their absence. Further exhaustive research in this area is advised. Financial support from research project PBR 2009PBR00023 from Generalitat de Catalunya (Spain) is gratefully acknowledged |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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