Author, as appears in the article.: Lloveras, Lluis; Thomas, Richard; Moreno-Garcia, Marta; Nadal, Jordi; Tomas-Gimeno, Xavier; Rissech, Carme; Bellis, Lauren;
Department: Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques
URV's Author/s: Rissech Badalló, Maria del Carmen
Keywords: Zooarchaeology Taphonomy Skeletal disorders Sheep Oryctolagus cuniculus Health Foxes Asymmetry Animal paleopathology Age
Abstract: Objective: To provide prevalence data for future comparative analysis of the health status of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) accumulated in the archaeological record. Materials: Two contrasting assemblages were analysed for pathological and sub-pathological changes: 1) an assemblage of domestic modern rabbit bones; and 2) a non-anthropogenic accumulation of archaeological rabbit remains. Methods: The lesions observed macroscopically, under magnification, and radiographically in both assemblages are quantified and described. Results: In the first assemblage, pathological and sub-pathological changes mostly affected the lower limb bones and primarily took two forms: diaphyseal periosteal proliferation and hypervascularised distal physes. Differential diagnosis of the periosteal proliferation suggests that pododermatitis is the most probable cause. In the second assemblage fractures were the most common lesions, but isolated examples of hypervascularised physes, periosteal proliferation, and musculo-skeletal stress markers were also identified. The pathological changes recorded is typical of a naturally-accumulated population of wild rabbits. Conclusions: The prevalence of pathological and sub-pathological skeletal changes in the rabbits, and thus their health status, are closely related to living conditions. This study demonstrates the value of systematically recording pathologies in rabbit bones. Significance: We contribute new data to help understand rabbit interactions with humans in the past and also the environment they inhabited. Limitations: Working with modern samples frequently means only incomplete skeletons are available for study. In these cases lesion prevalence always needs to be interpreted with caution. Suggestions for further research: Paleopathological studies of rabbit remains are remarkable for their absence. Further exhaustive research in this area is advised.
Thematic Areas: Saúde coletiva Pathology and forensic medicine Pathology Paleontology Ciencias humanas Ciências biológicas iii Archeology (arts and humanities)
licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
Author's mail: carme.rissech@urv.cat
Author identifier: 0000-0002-1014-8813
Record's date: 2024-07-27
Papper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/
Papper original source: International Journal Of Paleopathology. 34 90-100
APA: Lloveras, Lluis; Thomas, Richard; Moreno-Garcia, Marta; Nadal, Jordi; Tomas-Gimeno, Xavier; Rissech, Carme; Bellis, Lauren; (2021). Pathological and sub-pathological changes in European rabbit bones: Two reference cases to be applied to the analysis of archaeological assemblages. International Journal Of Paleopathology, 34(), 90-100. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2021.06.004
Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Journal publication year: 2021
Publication Type: Journal Publications
Repositori URV