PALEOEPIDEMIOLOGICAL PATTERNS OF TRAUMA IN A MEDIEVAL NUBIAN SKELETALPOPULATION

Evidence of trauma was investigated in a well-preserved skeletal sampl e from the Medieval Sudanese Nubian site of Kulubnarti. The skeletal m aterials derive from two temporally overlapping Christian cemeteries, dating from the sixth to circa the sixteenth century. The available sa mple consisted of the skeletons of 146 adults which were investigated far fractures of the long bones, crania and the hands and feet, as wel l as for dislocations and muscle pulls. Results showed a high incidenc e of long bone fractures, seen especially in the forearm, and involvin g 33.5 per cent of individuals. Many of these lesions indicated quite severe injury, and an unusually high number of affected individuals (2 7 per cent) showed multiple long bone involvement. Conversely, only on e possible cranial fracture was apparent. Fractures were also found in 13 hand and seven foot elements. In addition, one hip dislocation and evidence of pulled tendons in 11 individuals were also observed. Comp ared to other similarly controlled samples, the Kulubnarti population stands out for its high prevalence of healed fractures, the high propo rtion of multiple involvement and the severity of numerous lesions. Th e forbiddingly harsh and uneven terrain of this region of Nubia was mo st likely a major influence on the unusually high prevalence and patte rn of traumatic lesions in this group. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.