Paleopathological study of a podal osteochondroma from the prehistoric Hypogeum of Calaforno (Sicily).

In this article, we report a case of isolated podal osteochondroma from the prehistoric Hypogeum of Calaforno (Giarratana, Ragusa, Sicily). Although the phalanx exhibiting the benign tumoral mass comes from a context featuring several commingled remains, the very good state of preservation of this bone allowed us to perform a comprehensive study of the neoplasm by applying a multidisciplinary approach encompassing archeology, morphology, stereomicroscopy, and radiology. The results from this very ancient specimen have been assessed in the light of the available paleopathological literature and clinical implications currently encountered in modern patients.

Auricular exostoses among the prehistoric population of different islands of the Canary archipelago.

It is generally believed that auricular exostoses are due to prolonged exposure to cold water, so their existence in ancient remains may inform us about economic activities in the past. This study was performed to analyze the prevalence of auricular exostoses among 150 pre-Hispanic individuals of different islands of the Canary archipelago. Individuals from Gran Canaria (6/26), Fuerteventura (1/15), and Tenerife (2/64), but not from El Hierro (0/45), showed auricular exostoses, thus supporting the hypothesis of a greater reliance on fishing and shellfishing in the former 3 islands.

Osteochondroma in a British neolithic skeleton.

The skeletal remains of past populations provide an important source of information on the natural history of disease. Relatively few cases of bone tumours have been reported in archaeological material. This paper describes one of the oldest occurrences of osteochondroma to have been identified in a human skeleton.