Tropical Ulcer on a Human Tibia from 5000 Years Ago in Northern Italy

Title

Tropical Ulcer on a Human Tibia from 5000 Years Ago in Northern Italy

Creator

Cremasco M M; Merlo F; Fulcheri E; Rothschild B M

Publisher

International Journal of Osteoarchaeology

Date

2015
2015-09

Description

The term tropical ulcer, as applied to bone pathology, describes the specific pathologic phenomenon of the presence of a well-defined osteomatous shelf formation on the anteromedial aspect of the tibia. Despite the appellation 'tropical,' this pathology is not geographically limited to tropical regions, although it has not previously been reported from continental Europe. Observations of a 4583 BP burial from the Tanaro River area of Northern Italy represent the first such case. Dating of the site to the time of climate change at the end of the first Glacial suggests that hot-warm, humid conditions may have allowed the occurrence of this bone pathology, the first observed in continental Europe. A second explanation is the possible migration of an individual to Italy from an area that is more conventionally considered tropical. Copyright (C) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Subject

skin; Italy; Archaeology; Anthropology; disease; population; yaws; osteomyelitis; climate; semantic confusion; tropical ulcer

Identifier

Format

Journal Article or Conference Abstract Publication

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Rights

Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).

Pages

788-794

Issue

5

Volume

25

Citation

Cremasco M M; Merlo F; Fulcheri E; Rothschild B M, “Tropical Ulcer on a Human Tibia from 5000 Years Ago in Northern Italy,” NEOMED Bibliography Database, accessed March 29, 2024, https://neomed.omeka.net/items/show/8991.