Ancient Down syndrome: An osteological case from Saint-Jean-des-Vignes, northeastern France, from the 5-6th century AD

Maïté Rivollat; Dominique Castex; Laurent Hauret; Anne-Marie Tillier

doi:10.1016/j.ijpp.2014.05.004

Ancient Down syndrome: An osteological case from Saint-Jean-des-Vignes, northeastern France, from the 5-6th century AD

Int J Paleopathol. 2014 Dec:7:8-14. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2014.05.004. Epub 2014 Jun 18.

Authors

Maïté Rivollat¹, Dominique Castex², Laurent Hauret³, Anne-Marie Tillier⁴

Affiliations

¹ Université de Bordeaux, UMR 5199 PACEA B8, Allée Geoffroy ST Hilaire, CS 50023, 33615 Pessac Cedex, France. Electronic address: maite.rivollat@u-bordeaux.fr.
² Université de Bordeaux, UMR 5199 PACEA B8, Allée Geoffroy ST Hilaire, CS 50023, 33615 Pessac Cedex, France. Electronic address: dominique.castex@u-bordeaux.fr.
³ Service de Radiologie générale et pédiatrique,Clinique Tivoli, 33000 Bordeaux, France.
⁴ Université de Bordeaux, UMR 5199 PACEA B8, Allée Geoffroy ST Hilaire, CS 50023, 33615 Pessac Cedex, France; University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, USA. Electronic address: anne-marie.tillier@u-bordeaux.fr.

PMID: 29539495
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2014.05.004

Abstract

The pathological skull of a 5-7 year old child from Saint-Jean-des-Vignes (Saône-et-Loire, north-eastern France) dated to the 5-6th century AD is described. Morphological and radiographic features, metrical data and Computed Tomography (CT) scans are used to study the osteological abnormalities in comparison with normal skulls of individuals of similar age and geographic origin. The combination of features is consistent with the diagnosis of Down syndrome (e.g. brachycrany, metopism, hypodontia, periodontitis, a flattened occiput, vault thinness, and an open cranial base angle), although none is pathognomonic of the disease in isolation. Cases of Down syndrome in past populations are rare, frequently poorly described or discovered out of context. This case represents the earliest and youngest example of the condition in the archaeological record. The context and funerary treatment of this child suggests that he/she was not stigmatized by other members of the community, who afforded a normal mode of burial.

Keywords: Early medieval period; France; Skull; Subadult; Trisomy 21.