S A Mays
Biographic Data
| ID | 5204839 |
|---|---|
| NAME | S A Mays |
| GIVEN NAMES | S A |
| FAMILY NAME | Mays |
| SIGNATURE | MAYS S A |
| AFFILIATIONS | English Heritage |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 23 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 267 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 23 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1985 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2023 |
| H-INDEX | 7 |
The palaeopathology of industry, a perspective from Britain
OBJECTIVES: This article considers the position of palaeopathology of ca. 1750AD onward within the subdiscipline of Industrial Archaeology, and reflects upon the relationship between skeletal palaeopathology and textual sources on disease prevalences. METHODS: It draws upon the author's experience in engaging with threat-led archaeology. It synthesises key elements of palaeopathological literature, emphasising contributions to the IJPP VSI 'Chang…
A content analysis by bibliometry of the first ten years of the International Journal of Paleopathology
A dual process model for paleopathological diagnosis
Ancient DNA (aDNA) studies of man and microbes: General similarities, specific differences
The study of ancient DNA (aDNA) using molecular methods is an increasingly valuable tactic in bioarchaeology. While this method must be carefully undertaken to ensure that the molecules detected are representative of the ancient sample and not modern contaminates, there is a danger that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to validation will lead to misinterpretation and/or missed opportunities of valuable findings. When comparing human and pathogen aD…
Intervertebral chondrocalcinosis: An Exercise in Differential Diagnosis in Palaeopathology
Intervertebral chondrocalcinosis (calcification of intervertebral discs and associated structures) may arise from a variety of causes. This work presents a discussion of intervertebral chondrocalcinosis and the identification of its most probable cause in skeletal remains, using as a case study a skeleton of an elderly male from medieval Ipswich, UK. The skeleton is examined using gross observation and radiography, and the intervertebral calcific…
A scapula deformity in two burials from medieval England
A scapula malformation is described in two burials from the site of the late medieval Dominican friary at Ipswich, UK. The changes appear most consistent with primary scapular neck dysplasia. One of the burials also showed clear signs of leprosy. The burials are of lay benefactors of the friary. The Ipswich Dominican friary had no known function as a leprosy hospital. Finding of burials of lepers other than in burial grounds of leprosaria is high…
Spondylolysis in non-adult skeletons excavated from a medieval rural archaeological site in England
Spondylolysis is studied in a large series of non-adult skeletons, ranging in age at death from 28 weeks gestation to 18 years old, from the deserted medieval village of Wharram Percy. The aim is to shed light on the age of occurrence of the lesion. Among those with complete lumbar spines, the prevalence of spondylolysis is 0.7%. The prevalence in adults from this group is 12% with no age patterning. Age of occurrence of spondylolysis in this pop…
Lysis at the anterior vertebral body margin: Evidence for Brucellar Spondylitis
Recently, palaeopathologists have begun to diagnose brucellosis in skeletal remains from minor lytic lesions located on the anterior margins of one or some few vertebral bodies, taking these lesions to represent brucellar epiphysitis. However, review of the literature indicates that these lesions have been sporadically noted for some time by palaeopathologists and various different interpretations have been placed upon them. In view of this, a st…
Variable nucleotide tandem repeat (VNTR) typing of two palaeopathological cases of lepromatous leprosy from Mediaeval England
Age‐related cortical bone loss in women from a 3rd–4th century AD population from England
Age‐dependent cortical bone loss in adult females from a skeletal assemblage from 3rd–4th century AD England was studied using metacarpal radiogrammetry. Results showed reduced peak cortical bone thickness compared with modern subjects, and the magnitude of cortical bone loss in older females compared with their younger counterparts was greater than that documented for a modern reference population. An elevated prevalence of fractures classically…
A possible case of surgical treatment of cranial blunt force injury from medieval England
A possible example of surgical treatment of depressed fracture of the cranium is presented. The individual involved is a medieval peasant from Wharram Percy. The burial dates from the 10th–11th century AD. The surgery appears to have involved the use of trepanation by the scraping technique. This case pre‐dates the first documentary descriptions in the medieval West of similar operations to treat cranial fracture, and shows that access to complex…
Paleopathological study of hallux valgus
Hallux valgus is the abnormal lateral deviation of the great toe. The principal cause is biomechanical, specifically the habitual use of footwear which constricts the toes. In this study, descriptions of the anatomical changes of hallux valgus from published cadaveric and clinical studies were used to generate criteria for identifying the condition in ancient skeletal remains. The value of systematic scoring of hallux valgus in paleopathology is …
Supra-acetabular cysts in a medieval skeletal population
This study is an investigation of supra-acetabular cysts in non-arthrotic hips in a large Medieval British skeletal series. Lesions were found to occur in 10% of adult innominates, and were more common in males. Evidence is presented for an aetiology of trauma. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope variations in tooth dentine serial sections from Wharram Percy
Asymmetry in Metacarpal Cortical Bone in a Collection of British Post-Mediaeval Human Skeletons
Bone stable isotope evidence for infant feeding in Mediaeval England
This paper is a first study of duration of breastfeeding using bone stable isotopes in infants in a British palaeopopulation, from the deserted Mediaeval village of Wharram Percy, England. Nitrogen stable isotope analysis suggests cessation of breastfeeding between 1 and 2 years of age. Comparison with Mediaeval documentary sources suggests that recommendations of physicians regarding infant feeding may have influenced common practice in this per…
A perspective on human osteoarchaeology in Britain
Using counts of papers published in academic journals, an attempt will be made to discern something of the character of the research carried out by British workers on human skeletal remains from archaeological sites. An aim is to try to assess the degree of emphasis that there is on paleopathology as opposed to other areas of osteoarchaeological study, and to determine more closely the nature of paleopathological enquiry in the UK. Comparisons wi…
Carbon Stable Isotope Ratios in Mediaeval and Later Human Skeletons From Northern England
Healed limb amputations in human osteoarchaeology and their causes: A case study from Ipswich, UK
An adult male skeleton of Medieval date from Ipswich, UK, shows amputation of the right hand. The morphology of the bones suggests a quiescent stump, in which healing had been completed some time before death. Osteometric, morphological and radiographic data show that the mutilated limb continued to function but was used to a lesser degree than the intact side. A review of some of the literature on the osteoarchaeological evidence for healed limb…
Age-dependent cortical bone loss in a medieval population
Age-dependent cortical bone loss was studied in a skeletal assemblage from a British medieval site using metacarpal radiogrammetry. Significant loss of bone was found in the females but not in the males. The magnitude of bone loss in the older females relative to their younger counterparts was found to be similar to that reported for modern European subjects. Low cortical bone was associated with healed fractures of the highly trabecular bone of …
Healed limb amputations in human osteoarchaeology and their causes: A case study from Ipswich, UK
An adult male skeleton of Medieval date from Ipswich, UK, shows amputation of the right hand. The morphology of the bones suggests a quiescent stump, in which healing had been completed some time before death. Osteometric, morphological and radiographic data show that the mutilated limb continued to function but was used to a lesser degree than the intact side. A review of some of the literature on the osteoarchaeological evidence for healed limb…
Archaeology and Environment of a Bronze Age Cairn and Prehistoric and Romano-British Field System at Chysauster, Gulval, near Penzance, Cornwall
The project involved the survey and selective excavation of an area of field system adjoining the Romano-British ‘courtyard house’ settlement of Chysauster, near Penzance, Cornwall, supported by soil and pollen studies and by the extensive landscape surveys. The excavation had two main elements: study of the rectilinear field system and excavation of a Bronze Age funerary cairn incorporated in one of the field boundaries. The earliest field syste…
The relationship between harris line formation and bone growth and development
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope variations in tooth dentine serial sections from Wharram Percy
Carbon Stable Isotope Ratios in Mediaeval and Later Human Skeletons From Northern England
Bone stable isotope evidence for infant feeding in Mediaeval England
This paper is a first study of duration of breastfeeding using bone stable isotopes in infants in a British palaeopopulation, from the deserted Mediaeval village of Wharram Percy, England. Nitrogen stable isotope analysis suggests cessation of breastfeeding between 1 and 2 years of age. Comparison with Mediaeval documentary sources suggests that recommendations of physicians regarding infant feeding may have influenced common practice in this per…
Asymmetry in Metacarpal Cortical Bone in a Collection of British Post-Mediaeval Human Skeletons
Age‐related cortical bone loss in women from a 3rd–4th century AD population from England
Age‐dependent cortical bone loss in adult females from a skeletal assemblage from 3rd–4th century AD England was studied using metacarpal radiogrammetry. Results showed reduced peak cortical bone thickness compared with modern subjects, and the magnitude of cortical bone loss in older females compared with their younger counterparts was greater than that documented for a modern reference population. An elevated prevalence of fractures classically…
The relationship between harris line formation and bone growth and development
Variable nucleotide tandem repeat (VNTR) typing of two palaeopathological cases of lepromatous leprosy from Mediaeval England
Lysis at the anterior vertebral body margin: Evidence for Brucellar Spondylitis
Recently, palaeopathologists have begun to diagnose brucellosis in skeletal remains from minor lytic lesions located on the anterior margins of one or some few vertebral bodies, taking these lesions to represent brucellar epiphysitis. However, review of the literature indicates that these lesions have been sporadically noted for some time by palaeopathologists and various different interpretations have been placed upon them. In view of this, a st…
Paleopathological study of hallux valgus
Hallux valgus is the abnormal lateral deviation of the great toe. The principal cause is biomechanical, specifically the habitual use of footwear which constricts the toes. In this study, descriptions of the anatomical changes of hallux valgus from published cadaveric and clinical studies were used to generate criteria for identifying the condition in ancient skeletal remains. The value of systematic scoring of hallux valgus in paleopathology is …
Archaeology and Environment of a Bronze Age Cairn and Prehistoric and Romano-British Field System at Chysauster, Gulval, near Penzance, Cornwall
The project involved the survey and selective excavation of an area of field system adjoining the Romano-British ‘courtyard house’ settlement of Chysauster, near Penzance, Cornwall, supported by soil and pollen studies and by the extensive landscape surveys. The excavation had two main elements: study of the rectilinear field system and excavation of a Bronze Age funerary cairn incorporated in one of the field boundaries. The earliest field syste…
Intervertebral chondrocalcinosis: An Exercise in Differential Diagnosis in Palaeopathology
Intervertebral chondrocalcinosis (calcification of intervertebral discs and associated structures) may arise from a variety of causes. This work presents a discussion of intervertebral chondrocalcinosis and the identification of its most probable cause in skeletal remains, using as a case study a skeleton of an elderly male from medieval Ipswich, UK. The skeleton is examined using gross observation and radiography, and the intervertebral calcific…
Supra-acetabular cysts in a medieval skeletal population
This study is an investigation of supra-acetabular cysts in non-arthrotic hips in a large Medieval British skeletal series. Lesions were found to occur in 10% of adult innominates, and were more common in males. Evidence is presented for an aetiology of trauma. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Ancient DNA (aDNA) studies of man and microbes: General similarities, specific differences
The study of ancient DNA (aDNA) using molecular methods is an increasingly valuable tactic in bioarchaeology. While this method must be carefully undertaken to ensure that the molecules detected are representative of the ancient sample and not modern contaminates, there is a danger that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to validation will lead to misinterpretation and/or missed opportunities of valuable findings. When comparing human and pathogen aD…
Spondylolysis in non-adult skeletons excavated from a medieval rural archaeological site in England
Spondylolysis is studied in a large series of non-adult skeletons, ranging in age at death from 28 weeks gestation to 18 years old, from the deserted medieval village of Wharram Percy. The aim is to shed light on the age of occurrence of the lesion. Among those with complete lumbar spines, the prevalence of spondylolysis is 0.7%. The prevalence in adults from this group is 12% with no age patterning. Age of occurrence of spondylolysis in this pop…
A possible case of surgical treatment of cranial blunt force injury from medieval England
A possible example of surgical treatment of depressed fracture of the cranium is presented. The individual involved is a medieval peasant from Wharram Percy. The burial dates from the 10th–11th century AD. The surgery appears to have involved the use of trepanation by the scraping technique. This case pre‐dates the first documentary descriptions in the medieval West of similar operations to treat cranial fracture, and shows that access to complex…
The relationship between harris line formation and bone growth and development
Healed limb amputations in human osteoarchaeology and their causes: A case study from Ipswich, UK
An adult male skeleton of Medieval date from Ipswich, UK, shows amputation of the right hand. The morphology of the bones suggests a quiescent stump, in which healing had been completed some time before death. Osteometric, morphological and radiographic data show that the mutilated limb continued to function but was used to a lesser degree than the intact side. A review of some of the literature on the osteoarchaeological evidence for healed limb…
Age-dependent cortical bone loss in a medieval population
Age-dependent cortical bone loss was studied in a skeletal assemblage from a British medieval site using metacarpal radiogrammetry. Significant loss of bone was found in the females but not in the males. The magnitude of bone loss in the older females relative to their younger counterparts was found to be similar to that reported for modern European subjects. Low cortical bone was associated with healed fractures of the highly trabecular bone of …
Healed limb amputations in human osteoarchaeology and their causes: A case study from Ipswich, UK
An adult male skeleton of Medieval date from Ipswich, UK, shows amputation of the right hand. The morphology of the bones suggests a quiescent stump, in which healing had been completed some time before death. Osteometric, morphological and radiographic data show that the mutilated limb continued to function but was used to a lesser degree than the intact side. A review of some of the literature on the osteoarchaeological evidence for healed limb…
Archaeology and Environment of a Bronze Age Cairn and Prehistoric and Romano-British Field System at Chysauster, Gulval, near Penzance, Cornwall
The project involved the survey and selective excavation of an area of field system adjoining the Romano-British ‘courtyard house’ settlement of Chysauster, near Penzance, Cornwall, supported by soil and pollen studies and by the extensive landscape surveys. The excavation had two main elements: study of the rectilinear field system and excavation of a Bronze Age funerary cairn incorporated in one of the field boundaries. The earliest field syste…
A perspective on human osteoarchaeology in Britain
Using counts of papers published in academic journals, an attempt will be made to discern something of the character of the research carried out by British workers on human skeletal remains from archaeological sites. An aim is to try to assess the degree of emphasis that there is on paleopathology as opposed to other areas of osteoarchaeological study, and to determine more closely the nature of paleopathological enquiry in the UK. Comparisons wi…
Carbon Stable Isotope Ratios in Mediaeval and Later Human Skeletons From Northern England
Asymmetry in Metacarpal Cortical Bone in a Collection of British Post-Mediaeval Human Skeletons
Bone stable isotope evidence for infant feeding in Mediaeval England
This paper is a first study of duration of breastfeeding using bone stable isotopes in infants in a British palaeopopulation, from the deserted Mediaeval village of Wharram Percy, England. Nitrogen stable isotope analysis suggests cessation of breastfeeding between 1 and 2 years of age. Comparison with Mediaeval documentary sources suggests that recommendations of physicians regarding infant feeding may have influenced common practice in this per…
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope variations in tooth dentine serial sections from Wharram Percy
A possible case of surgical treatment of cranial blunt force injury from medieval England
A possible example of surgical treatment of depressed fracture of the cranium is presented. The individual involved is a medieval peasant from Wharram Percy. The burial dates from the 10th–11th century AD. The surgery appears to have involved the use of trepanation by the scraping technique. This case pre‐dates the first documentary descriptions in the medieval West of similar operations to treat cranial fracture, and shows that access to complex…
Paleopathological study of hallux valgus
Hallux valgus is the abnormal lateral deviation of the great toe. The principal cause is biomechanical, specifically the habitual use of footwear which constricts the toes. In this study, descriptions of the anatomical changes of hallux valgus from published cadaveric and clinical studies were used to generate criteria for identifying the condition in ancient skeletal remains. The value of systematic scoring of hallux valgus in paleopathology is …
Supra-acetabular cysts in a medieval skeletal population
This study is an investigation of supra-acetabular cysts in non-arthrotic hips in a large Medieval British skeletal series. Lesions were found to occur in 10% of adult innominates, and were more common in males. Evidence is presented for an aetiology of trauma. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Variable nucleotide tandem repeat (VNTR) typing of two palaeopathological cases of lepromatous leprosy from Mediaeval England
Age‐related cortical bone loss in women from a 3rd–4th century AD population from England
Age‐dependent cortical bone loss in adult females from a skeletal assemblage from 3rd–4th century AD England was studied using metacarpal radiogrammetry. Results showed reduced peak cortical bone thickness compared with modern subjects, and the magnitude of cortical bone loss in older females compared with their younger counterparts was greater than that documented for a modern reference population. An elevated prevalence of fractures classically…
Spondylolysis in non-adult skeletons excavated from a medieval rural archaeological site in England
Spondylolysis is studied in a large series of non-adult skeletons, ranging in age at death from 28 weeks gestation to 18 years old, from the deserted medieval village of Wharram Percy. The aim is to shed light on the age of occurrence of the lesion. Among those with complete lumbar spines, the prevalence of spondylolysis is 0.7%. The prevalence in adults from this group is 12% with no age patterning. Age of occurrence of spondylolysis in this pop…
Lysis at the anterior vertebral body margin: Evidence for Brucellar Spondylitis
Recently, palaeopathologists have begun to diagnose brucellosis in skeletal remains from minor lytic lesions located on the anterior margins of one or some few vertebral bodies, taking these lesions to represent brucellar epiphysitis. However, review of the literature indicates that these lesions have been sporadically noted for some time by palaeopathologists and various different interpretations have been placed upon them. In view of this, a st…
A scapula deformity in two burials from medieval England
A scapula malformation is described in two burials from the site of the late medieval Dominican friary at Ipswich, UK. The changes appear most consistent with primary scapular neck dysplasia. One of the burials also showed clear signs of leprosy. The burials are of lay benefactors of the friary. The Ipswich Dominican friary had no known function as a leprosy hospital. Finding of burials of lepers other than in burial grounds of leprosaria is high…
Ancient DNA (aDNA) studies of man and microbes: General similarities, specific differences
The study of ancient DNA (aDNA) using molecular methods is an increasingly valuable tactic in bioarchaeology. While this method must be carefully undertaken to ensure that the molecules detected are representative of the ancient sample and not modern contaminates, there is a danger that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to validation will lead to misinterpretation and/or missed opportunities of valuable findings. When comparing human and pathogen aD…
Intervertebral chondrocalcinosis: An Exercise in Differential Diagnosis in Palaeopathology
Intervertebral chondrocalcinosis (calcification of intervertebral discs and associated structures) may arise from a variety of causes. This work presents a discussion of intervertebral chondrocalcinosis and the identification of its most probable cause in skeletal remains, using as a case study a skeleton of an elderly male from medieval Ipswich, UK. The skeleton is examined using gross observation and radiography, and the intervertebral calcific…
A dual process model for paleopathological diagnosis
A content analysis by bibliometry of the first ten years of the International Journal of Paleopathology
The palaeopathology of industry, a perspective from Britain
OBJECTIVES: This article considers the position of palaeopathology of ca. 1750AD onward within the subdiscipline of Industrial Archaeology, and reflects upon the relationship between skeletal palaeopathology and textual sources on disease prevalences. METHODS: It draws upon the author's experience in engaging with threat-led archaeology. It synthesises key elements of palaeopathological literature, emphasising contributions to the IJPP VSI 'Chang…
Medicine (17 works) · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies (14 works) · Archaeology (10 works) · Geography (7 works) · Paleopathology (7 works) · Pathology (7 works) · Anatomy (6 works) · Biology (6 works) · History (5 works) · Surgery (5 works)