Hyperostosis Frontalis Interna on the Skeletal Remains of the Sarmatians of the Lower Volga and the Lower Don (to the Question of Causes of the Endocrine Disorders in the Early Iron Age)
Abstract
Introduction. The field of paleopathology, which studies the diseases of ancient people, makes important contribution to the reconstruction of the lifestyle and history of the Sarmatian nomads. When examining human bone remains, such a pathological condition as the hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI) is sometimes revealed on the frontal bone from the endocranium. Today, most physisians and paleopathologists believe that this condition is the result of the Morgagni-Stewart-Morel syndrome, which stimulates the development of endocrine disorders in the human body. Methods and materials. The research material is represented with the skulls of Sarmatian nomads from the burial grounds of the Lower Volga and the Lower Don. A total of 465 craniums have been examined. The degree of frontal hyperostosis development has been assessed by the method of I. Hershkovitz, et al. Analysis. As a result of the analysis of bone material, 35 cases of the HFI have been recorded on the Sarmatian skulls. Genetic predisposition, specific lifestyle (nomadism), unhealthy and unsystematic diet (high content of proteins and fats, periods of hunger alternated with overeating periods), psycho-emotional disorders typical of the nomads of the early Iron Age were, most likely, the determining factors stimulating the development of endocrine disorders markers. Results. We’ve come to the conclusion that, as opposed to the modern character of the disease spreading, which is more typical for women aged 45-60, this deviation in Sarmatians is more common in men. The analysis of written, ethnographical and archaeological sources, the study of medical and paleopathological literature allows assuming that the HFI in the Sarmatians of the Lower Volga and the Lower Don could develop as a result of the abovementioned factors. E. V. Pererva has carried out the the paleopathological study of materials and the comparison of the obtained results with domestic and foreign works in the field of medicine and anthropology. V. I. Moiseev has interpreted the obtained results in the context of written and archaeological sources.
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