Thesis Defense

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NINE CLINICAL SPECIMENS FROM THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, AND ONE

FROM THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF KELLIS 2 CEMETERY IN DAKHLEH OASIS, EGYPT

STEVIE MATHEWS

Diagnosing Anencephaly in Archaeology:

Disclaimer

This presentation includes graphic photographs of deceased infants with neural

tube defects.

Introduction

Maps are a courtesy of Lana Willams and Sandra Wheeler, University of Western Ontario. Burial photo is courtesy of Peter Sheldrick.

Research Questions and Hypotheses

K2 B563

Peculiarities of Burial 563

? ?

?

? ?

Fetal Growth

Source: http://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/wwwhuman/Hum12wk/Hum12wk.htm

Neural Tube Development

Source: http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v7/n9/images/nrn1986-f1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v7/n9/fig_tab/nrn1986_F1.html&h=888&w=355&sz=53&hl=en&start=8&sig2=3jZ9u6wzkVao8PtRHa-93Q&um=1&tbnid=kWsV-ZMrkV2H5M:&tbnh=146&tbnw=58&ei=6gnoR_ufKZjgigGBlYm-BQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dneural%2Btube%2Bdefect%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

Day 19

Day 21

Day 20

Day 22

Neural tube

Anencephaly

Source: http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Falls/7780/images/anencephaly.html

Severe Anencephaly

Source: http://isc.temple.edu/neuroanatomy/lab/embryo_new/nt/4/spbf.html

Source: http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/neuroslides/slide183.html

Meroanencephaly

Holoanencephaly

Craniorachischisis

Normal

Skeletal Research in Anencephaly

Normal Holoanencephalic

Meroanencephalic

Source: Fields HW., Metzner L., Garol JD., and Kokich VG. 1978. The Craniofacial Skeleton in Anencephalic Human Fetuses I. Cranial Floor. Teratology. 17.

Source: http://www.francecasts.com/casts/humans/pathology_and_anomolies/Source: Garol JD., Fields HW., Metzner L., and Kokich VG. 1978. The Craniofacial Skeleton in Anencephalic Human Fetuses I. Cranial Floor. Teratology. 17.

Cranial Base

Cranial Floor

Skeletal Material at the Smithsonian

Anencephaly in Archaeology

Original Source: Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire E. 1826. Note about an Egyptian monster found in the ruins of Thebes, in Egypt, by M. Passalascqua. Bulletin des Sciences Medicales VII: 105-108.

Biological Profile of B563

  Left Right Average Est. Age

Basion Length 9.90   29.25

Basion Width 9.23   28.25

Zygomatic Width 13.09 13.40 13.245 25.75

Clavicle Length 32.63 32.86 32.75 30.75

Scapula Width 21.39 21.72 21.56 31

Scapula Height 24.11   24.11 29.5

Ulna Length 43.13 43.78 43.46 30.25

Radius Length 38.90 39.25 39.08 30.75

Femur Length 52.99 52.85 52.92 31.25

Tibia Length 48.46 48.44 48.45 31.75

Fibula Length   45.66 45.66 31.75

Avg Age Est

30.02

Avg Age Est W/O 30.88

Craniorachischisis?

FRONTALS: Diagnosing Anencephaly in B563

B563 NMNH Garol et al.

Meroanencephaly?

Holoanencephaly?

?

Craniorachischisis?

Diagnosing Anencephaly in B563

B563 NMNH Garol et al.

Meroanencephaly?

Holoanencephaly?

Diagnosing Anencephaly in B563

Normal B563 NMNH Anencephalic

Conclusion

The End