Survival in Mudejar Spain in the Middle Ages (thirteenth–fourteenth centuries): Ancient Rare Diseases—an uncommon diagnosis in archaeological human remains

• Published in: International orthopaedics 2023-11, Vol.47 (11), p.2869-2875
• Main Authors: Dorado-Fernández, Enrique, Herrerín-López, Jesús, Ramírez-González, Ildefonso, Parro-González, Loreto, Isidro-Llorens, Albert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Body Remains; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Original Paper; Orthopedics; Rare Diseases; Spain - epidemiology; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0341-2695; 1432-5195; 1432-5195
• DOI: 10.1007/s00264-023-05863-1

Purpose The finding of severe skeletal alterations in ancient remains could give us useful information not only about the pathologies of the individual per se, as it could infer the state of health of a population. Methods From the findings of the Mudéjar Cemetery of Uceda (Guadalajara, Central Spain) where a total of 116 burials with almost complete skeleton were recovered, an interesting individual is presented (palaeopathological perspective). The individual 114UC corresponds to a male of 20–25 years old and its age goes back to the thirteenth–fourteenth centuries. Results The first inspection showed the presence of serious alterations especially in the lumbar spine and pelvic girdle. Seven vertebrae (from T11 to L5) showed an unusual posterior fusion only in the postzygapophyseal joints. The pelvis, after being accurately assembled and congruence verified by X-ray and CT scan, showed a noticeable asymmetry of both iliac wings together with a coxa magna protusa (Otto’s pelvis), severe anteversion of both cup hips and osteochondritis of the right femoral head. The posterior-slope of both tibias reached about 10°. Conclusions The differential diagnoses lead us to think of Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita as the most probable diagnosis. We analyzed the same biomechanical aspects after taking into account some patterns that give us information about a possible mobility in the first stage of life. We discuss the very few other cases described both from artworks and in the palaeopathological record. To our knowledge, this case could be the oldest published case of AMC worldwide.