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Differential diagnosis of a prehistoric biological object from the Koster (Illinois) Site
Author(s) -
Komar Debra,
Buikstra Jane E.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
international journal of osteoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1099-1212
pISSN - 1047-482X
DOI - 10.1002/oa.670
Subject(s) - paleopathology , artifact (error) , differential diagnosis , prehistory , object (grammar) , anatomy , lymph node , archaeology , medicine , biology , pathology , geography , philosophy , neuroscience , linguistics
This paper details the differential diagnosis of a biological artifact recovered from a burial within the Koster Middle Archaic site in Illinois. The burial was excavated from the Middle Archaic 3, Helton Phase component (∼5800–4900 BP). The artifact was a calcified nodule of unequivocal biological origin recovered from the pelvic region of an adult (50+ years) female. Morphological and radiographic analysis of the object resulted in the consideration of 19 possible diagnoses; all but four could be eliminated. Possible interpretations of the object as a lithopaedion, calcified lymph node, amputated ovary or simple ovarian cyst are examined in detail. Of these, calcified lymph node or amputated ovary remain most probable. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.