First probable case of scurvy in ancient Egypt at Nag el-Qarmila, Aswan

Mindy C Pitre; Robert J Stark; Maria Carmela Gatto

doi:10.1016/j.ijpp.2015.12.003

First probable case of scurvy in ancient Egypt at Nag el-Qarmila, Aswan

Int J Paleopathol. 2016 Jun:13:11-19. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2015.12.003. Epub 2016 Jan 15.

Authors

Mindy C Pitre¹, Robert J Stark², Maria Carmela Gatto³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anthropology, St. Lawrence University, 23 Romoda Drive, 114 Piskor Hall, Canton, NY 13617, United States. Electronic address: mpitre@stlaw.edu.
² Department of Anthropology, McMaster University, Chester New Hall Rm. 524 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L9, Canada. Electronic address: starkrj@mcmasters.ca.
³ School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH England, United Kingdom. Electronic address: mcg25@le.ac.uk.

PMID: 29539504
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2015.12.003

Abstract

To date there has been a lack of palaeopathological evidence for the presence of scurvy in ancient Egypt. In this paper we describe one of, if not the first, differentially diagnosed bioarchaeological cases of subadult scurvy in the region in the skeleton of a 1-year +/- 4-month old infant recovered from the Predynastic site of Nag el-Qarmila (c. 3800-3600 BCE) in Aswan, Egypt. Bony change was observed on the left maxilla and greater wing of the sphenoid bone, left and right mandibular rami, orbits, and zygomatic bones, as well as on the humeri, radii, and femora, all of which appear to be suggestive of scurvy. While the cause of this infant's probable scorbutic state is unknown, various circumstances such as diet and cultural behaviors may have contributed to the condition. Given the current lack of evidence of scurvy from ancient Egyptian contexts, this case study informs on the antiquity of ascorbic acid deficiency in the Old World.

Keywords: Ascorbic acid deficiency; Infant; Naqada; Predynastic.