Paleopathology of Human Populations

Recommended Prerequisites

The student should have knowledge about human anatomy and biological profile analysis in human skeletons.

Teaching Methods

Presentation of the theoretical framework followed by observation and description of practical cases.

Learning Outcomes

To provide tools for research, descripytion and interpretation of pathological lesions in skeletons from identified collections and from prehistoric and historic excavations.

Develop a critical understanding of the available evidence, using a biocultural approach, to the reconstruction of health and diseases of past human populations.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Human paleopathology: primary and secondary evidence. Methods and analysis techniques.

The relevance of differential diagnosis. Assessment and significance of osteoperiostite.

Theoretical context and practical observation of pathology: infectious, traumatic, congenital, metabolic, endocrine, neoplastic, degenerative  joint, among others conditions. Observationa and record of entheseal changes. Indicators of stress:  linear hypoplasia of dental enamel, orbitalia cribra, porotic hyperostosis and Harris lines.

The taphonomy and the pseudopathology.

Head Lecturer(s)

Ana Luísa da Conceição dos Santos

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Other: 25.0%
Exam: 75.0%

Bibliography

Barnes, E. 1994. Developmental defects of the axial skeleton in paleopathology. Colorado: University Press of

Colorado.

Brickley, M.; Ives, R. 2009. The bioarcheology of metabolic bone diseases. Oxford: Academic Press.

Grauer, A. 2012. A companion of paleopathology. Chichester, West Sussex, Malden, MA, Wiley – Blackwell.

Ortner, D. 2003. Identification of pathological conditions in human skeletal remains. San Diego, Academic Press.

Roberts, C.; Manchester, K. 2005. The archaeology of disease. 3rd edition. London: Sutton Publishing.

Waldron T. 2009. Palaeopathology. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.