Temporal changes in Arikara humeral and femoral cross-sectional geometry associated with horticultural intensification

Femoral subtrochanteric shape variation in Albania: Implications for use in forensic applications

“…Our results suggest that femoral subtrochanteric shape may be influenced by biomechanical forces in conjunction with genetic potential for specific body proportions, as argued by Wescott and colleagues (Wescott, 2006a;Wescott and Cunningham, 2006;Wescott and Srikanta, 2008). Other factors may also influence subtrochanteric shape, including geography (e.g., Eastern Europeans may fall intermediate between Western Europeans and Asians as a result of clinal variation (Pratt, 2005), temporal variation (Ruff, 1987;Wescott, 2005;Wescott and Srikanta, 2008), and possibly nutrition (Angel, 1946;Cole, 1994)).…”

“…In addition to adapting to the biomechanical stresses resulting from differing pelvic and femur proportions, activity patterns play a role in proximal femoral morphology. Greater platymeria is linked with subsistence activities such as horse riding and carrying heavy loads (Wescott, 2005;Wescott and Cunningham, 2006;Wescott and Srikanta, 2008).…”

“…The Albanian populations included in this research rode horses (limited evidence for this was observed by Schepartz for a few individuals at Apollonia) and practiced a combination of agriculture and transhumant pastoralism (Hammond, 1992), with little reliance on hunting (Stipčević, 1977). Both horseback riding and reliance on agriculture have been associated with platymeria in other settings (e.g., the Georgia Coast, the Arikara) (Ruff et al, 1984;Wescott, 2005;Wescott and Cunningham, 2006;Wescott and Srikanta, 2008). …”

“…Very little recent research has been conducted to determine the relationship between subtrochanteric shape, genetics, and the environment, aside from the work of Wescott and his coauthors (cf. Wescott, 2005Wescott, , 2006aWescott and Cunningham, 2006;Wescott and Srikanta, 2008). More research is needed to document geographic and temporal variation in subtrochanteric shape, especially comparing ancient and modern populations living in Europe, Africa and Asia.…”

Cortical bone thickness can adapt locally to muscular loading while changing with age

“…External architecture is strongly correlated with internal architecture, although the endosteal contour has relatively minimal impact on bone strength (Stock and Shaw, 2007). As the usual direction of muscle loading can be deduced from the shape of bone shafts, bone cross-sectional properties have been used in activity reconstructions (Holt, 2003;Shaw and Stock, 2009;Stock and Pfeiffer, 2001;Stock and Shaw, 2007;Weiss, 2003a;Wescott and Cunningham, 2006). However, there is some debate whether it is possible to infer the direction of loading from the shape of bone shafts (Demes et al, 2001;Lieberman et al, 2003Lieberman et al, , 2004.…”