The Upper Paleolithic triple burial of Dolni Vestonice: Pathology and funerary behavior

This work focuses on paleopathological analysis of one of the skeletons fro m the Gravettian triple burial of Dolni Vestonice (Moravia) and addresses i ssues of Upper Paleolithic funerary behavior. The burial includes the well- preserved skeletons of three young individuals. The skeleton in the middle (DV 15) is pathological and very problematic to sex; the other two (DV 13 a nd DV 14) are males and lie in an unusual position. The young age, the poss ibility of a simultaneous interment, and the position of the three specimen s have given rise to speculatians about the symbolic significance of this s pectacular and intriguing funerary pattern. The pathological condition of t he skeleton in the middle further emphasizes its peculiarity. Main pathological changes of the DV 15 skeleton include: asymmetric shorten ing of the right femur and of left forearm bones, bowing of the right femur , right humerus, and left radius, elongation of fibulae, dysplasias of the vertebral column, and very marked enamel hypoplasias. Scrutiny of the medic al literature suggests that the most likely etiology is chondrodysplasia ca lcificans punctata (CCP) complicated by trauma and early fractures of the u pper limbs. CCP is a rare inherited disorder characterized by stippled ossi fication of the epiphyses. The cartilaginous stippling is a transient pheno menon that disappears during infancy, leaving permanent deformities on affe cted bones. Among the different forms of CCP, the X-linked dominant form is that resulting in asymmetric shortening and is lethal during early infancy in males. Thus, survival of DV 15 until young adult age would require the specimen to be a female. Clinical findings often associated with the diseas e (erythemas, ichthyosis, alopecia, cataracts, and joint contractures, amon g others) would emphasize the singular aspect of this individual, pointing to a condition that should be carefully taken into account when speculating on the significance of that peculiar burial. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.