Atlanto‐occipital fusion and spondylolisthesis in an Anasazi skeleton from bright angel ruin, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Abstract

The skeleton of a middle-aged female showing an unusual pattern of congenital, traumatic, and degenerative pathology was recovered from a small Kayenta Anasazi site located near the confluence of Bright Angel Creek with the Colorado River in the Inner Gorge of Grand Canyon. The atlas is fused with the base of the skull and C2 is fused with C3. The cervical region was subjected to hyperextension, perhaps through use of a tumpline, with resultant reduction of the neural canal to 8 mm, a condition that quite likely led to neurological problems. The skeleton also includes a depression fracture of the lateral condyle of the left tibia. Complete, bilateral spondylolysis of L5 led to an olisthesis of approximately 15 mm. The disc between L5 and S1 then ossified, most likely from staphylococcus bacteremia, making the olisthesis permanent and thereby creating a unique arachaeological specimen. Although spondylolysis is usually viewed as a stress fracture, the general pattern of pathology in this individual makes it necessary to consider an etiology of acute trauma.

Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis: A cost of being an erect biped or a clever adaptation?

“…Attribution of pain and or disability, as well as any obstetric obstruction it might cause in women, appears greatly overrated. However, it certainly remains an interesting element in studying health profiles of individuals of the past (Merbs and Euler, 1985).…”

“…This appears to be a rare event, not surprisingly since olisthesis usually produces less rather than more stability at the site, making it unlikely that the immobilization necessary for fusion could take place. An interesting example of fusion following olisthesis was observed in a n adult female from Bright Angel Ruin, an Anasazi site located at the bottom of Grand Canyon, Arizona (Merbs and Euler, 1985). Complete isthmic separation had occurred in L5, leading to a n olisthesis of 15 mm relative to S1, or slightly more than one-third the anteroposterior diameter of the sacral body.…”

Activity patterns in New Kingdom Nubia: An examination of entheseal remodeling and osteoarthritis at Tombos

“…Some researchers have associated specific occupations or physical activities of ancient populations with particular entheses and osteoarthritis severity (e.g., Merbs and Euler, 1985;Dutour, 1986;Lai and Lovell, 1992;Steen and Lane, 1998). However, more recently, inferring specific activities based strictly on these data has been discouraged (Churchill and Morris, 1998;Robb, 1998;Jurmain, 1999;Weiss, 2009); movement in any given occupation can be very complicated and involve the use of several muscles and joints.…”

Treponematosis: A possible case from the late prehistoric of North Carolina

“…Isolated cases of pathology, while intrinsically interesting, are of limited use in anthropological studies. Their value is that such cases can inform us about the health problems of prehistoric peoples and their coping mechanisms (i.e., Grupe, 1988; Suzuki, 1987;Formicola et al, 1987; Webb and Thorne, 1985;Merbs and Euler, 1985; Elting and Starna, 1984; Jackes, 1983; Walker, 1983; Ortner and Utermohle, 1981; Gregg and Reed, 1980). Additionally, individual paleopathological specimens can shed light on the origin and evolution of specific disease processes.…”