Using historical biocultural variables and skeletal pathology to assist with osteoprofiles

Abstract

The biocultural approach uses biological, environmental, and cultural variables to help identify where an individual spent their childhood or their adult life. When a skeleton is identified DNA may not be sufficient in identification and complete osteoprofiles are needed. This research examines historic skeletal, genealogical, and biocultural information to determine if there is a correlation with the presence of vitamin D deficiency or spinal pathology. One hundred seventy-seven individuals living between the 1830s and 1940s were analyzed and traced through the historical record. Preliminary results indicate that there were trends in determining where an individual spent their childhood and the likelihood of vitamin D deficiency (chi-square p = 0.006; Spearman RS 0.92, p = -0.008), year of death (chi-square 0.005; Spearman RS 0.87, p = -0.01), presence of spinal pathology (chi-square p = 0.05; Spearman RS 0.72, p = -0.03), and trending toward age (p = 0.08). More research is warranted but completing osteoprofiles using biocultural variables may help identify where someone is from and how they lived their lives which in turn will assist with identification.