Sandra Assi
Dados Biográficos
| ID | 81791 |
|---|---|
| NOME | Sandra Assi |
| PRENOMES | Sandra |
| SOBRENOME | Assi |
| ASSINATURA | ASSI S |
| AFILIAÇÕES | Centre for Research in Anthropology |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-3081-2838 |
| VERIFICADO | Sim |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 22 |
| TOTAL DE CITAÇÕES | 81 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 22 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMEIRO ANO DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2006 |
| ANO MAIS RECENTE DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 4 |
A Smile From the Past
This paper presents the first documented case of a fixed bone dental bridge in Portugal. This item was recovered alongside the remains of a young adult individual of indeterminate sex from the 19th century burial site of the 3rd Order of Our Lady of Carmo in Porto, Portugal. Despite the remains being mostly complete and well preserved, the maxilla is edentulous and the mandible is missing, with only two loose mandibular teeth recovered. The crani…
Not written on the records
This article aims to describe a paleopathological case consistent with a paediatric hip joint trauma, discussing its aetiologies and lifelong implications, such as limb asymmetry and osteoarthritis. The case studied is a well-preserved skeleton of a female individual (Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa) who died in Lisbon in 1954, at the age of 54. The bone changes were macroscopic and radiologically studied, …
A rare femoral heterotopic bone formation in a 14th-19th century female skeleton from Constância (Portugal)
Evidence of specialized resource exploitation by Modern Humans in Western Iberia associated to Pleistocene and Holocene extreme environmental conditions
Throughout prehistory, landscapes were repeatedly subjected to both global and localized climatic fluctuations that changed the regional environments where human groups lived. This instability demanded constant adaptation and, as a result, the functionality of some sites changed over time. In this light, the western coast of Iberia represents an exceptional case study due to the proximity between at least some oceanic cores and archaeological sit…
Exploring “wear and tear” of joints and “muscle function” assumptions in skeletons with known occupation at death
OBJECTIVES: Changes in the joints are believed to result from "wear and tear," a consequence of activity, as entheseal changes (EC) result from muscle use. However, clinical data showed that activity does not necessarily increase the likelihood of degenerative joint changes (DJC) and that exercise results in healthier joints. We tested whether individuals with continuous repetitive biomechanical efforts (Group 1) were more likely to exhibit EC an…
Historical, demographic, curatorial and legal aspects of the BoneMedLeg human skeletal reference collection (Porto, Portugal)
The BoneMedLeg research project was developed to address current research concerns related to the use of skeletal reference collections for forensic purposes. These concerns were partly addressed by amassing a new reference collection which incorporates unclaimed human remains sourced from two municipal cemeteries in the city of Porto, Portugal. Amassed between 2012 and 2014 the collection was developed with permission from and in partnership wit…
Is it a cystic or a cyst-like condition? Discussing the etiology of an unusual large mandibular lesion in a Roman skeleton from Quinta da Torrinha/Quinta de Santo António (Almada, Portugal)
Is differential diagnosis attainable in disarticulated pathological bone remains? A case-study from a late 19th/early 20th century necropolis from Juncal (Porto de Mós, Portugal)
An unusual coronoid fracture in a fragment of ulna recovered from the Prehistoric site of Buraca da Moira Rock Shelter (Boa Vista, Leiria)
In 2015, several disarticulated human skeletal remains were identified in the top layers of the prehistoric site of Buraca da Moira Rock Shelter (Boa Vista, Leiria), during the archaeological excavation carried out under the scope of the EcoPLis — Human Occupations in the Pleistocene Ecotones of the River Lis project. The recovery of chert, constiquartz and quartzite blanks, a schist plate, as well as adornments in bone and shell indicates a Late…
In search of consensus
Paleohistology and the study of human remains
The invention of the microscope revolutionized the course of human knowledge. This instrument changed the face of science and of previous beliefs, expanded the horizons of knowledge, and challenged philosophical and scientific thought, especially in the field of natural sciences and medicine. In the domain of bioarchaeology, the introduction of histological techniques was important; not only to identify body tissues and to diagnose diseases in mu…
Exploring poverty
Differences found were not necessarily representative of low vs high socio-economic status. Furthermore, there are limitations associated with the use of occupation-at-death, based on documentary evidence, which does not necessarily reflect wealth-status
Exploring the relationship between entheseal changes and physical activity
Analyses of entheseal changes (EC) in identified skeletal samples employ a common research strategy based on the comparison between occupations grouped on the basis of shared biomechanical and/or social characteristics. Results from this approach are often ambiguous, with some studies that point to differences in EC between occupational samples and others failing to provide evidence of behavioral effects on EC. Here we investigate patterns of EC …
A possible case of acquired syphilis at the former Royal Hospital of All-Saints (RHAS) in Lisbon, Portugal (18th century)
Between the years of 1999 and 2001, during the excavation of the Praça da Figueira (Lisbon, Portugal), several human osteological remains from various chronological periods were discovered. Amongst them several skeletons are known to be related with the Hospital Real de Todos-os-Santos (Royal Hospital of All Saints - RHAS), which had an important role. The hospital history begun in 1492 and ended in 1755 largely as a consequence of the Lisbon ear…
La danza de los esqueletos
Los científicos tienen un importante rol en el desarrollo de interfaces entre el conocimiento científico producido y las escuelas y/o el público en general. En Portugal, sin embargo, la transferencia de conocimiento entre las universidades y el público fue una actividad desvalorizada durante décadas. Con el objetivo de contrarrestar esta tendencia, una organización científica sin fines de lucro llamada Grupo de Estudio en Evolución Humana, con lu…
Categorization of Occupation in Documented Skeletal Collections
Studies on identified skeletal collections yield discordant results about the association between osseous changes and activity. These dissonances can be ascribed to several factors: the variability of the osseous changes selected for observation, the inconsistency of their interpretative criteria and the inhomogeneous classification of occupation, here used as synonym of profession, within each study. The need to standardize the concept of occupa…
Evidence of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy in individuals from the Coimbra Skeletal Identified Collection (Portugal)
The Coimbra Workshop in Musculoskeletal Stress Markers (MSM)
The Workshop in Musculoskeletal Stress Markers (MSM): limitations and achievements in the reconstruction of past activity patterns, was held at the \nUniversity of Coimbra, in Portugal (2nd – 3rd July 2009). The chief goal of the \norganizing committee was to provide a productive environment where researchers could discuss the methodologies and terminology employed for the study of MSM \nas well as assessing how well these enthesopathies serve as…
Beyond the cause of death
Identified osteological collections are important sources for pathological studies, especially \nwhen the causes of death of the individuals are known. However, the individual may have suffered \nfrom other disorders, not related to the death and thus absent from written record of death. The aims \nof this paper are to describe the pathological signs perceptible on a skeleton, and to consider the possible \naetiologies beyond the recorded cause o…
Hip fractures in the Portuguese archaeological record
Fractures are ubiquitous in the archaeological record but the majority of these are the consequence of a traumatic incident and do not reflect any loss of strength inherent to the bone. So-called \nfragility fractures, particularly hip fractures, are considered uncommon occurrences in skeletal populations from the past. Nevertheless, evidence of this type of fracture in the archaeological record is \nincreasing. A methodical search for possible h…
Metastatic carcinoma in a 14th-19th century skeleton from Constância (Portugal)
During 2002, the extensive archaeological excavations of the ancient Constância necropolis (Centre of Portugal), dated from 14th-19th centuries, resulted in the exhumation of 151 individuals. Among the several paleopathological cases, a middle-aged female skeleton with osteolytic lesions in her skull, axial skeleton, upper limbs and femurs was observed. These pathological findings are characterised by an asymmetric pattern with osteolytic focus o…
Testemunhos de violência nos ossos humanos
O trauma é responsável por alguma incapacidade física entre os humanos actuais, tal como terá sido entre os nossos ancestrais. Apesar desta presença constante, a interpretação das lesões e a respectiva etiologia é bastante difícil em populações do passado, senão mesmo impossível, principalmente no que concerne ao estudo da violência interpessoal. Neste trabalho, as evidências de trauma foram investigadas num esqueleto bem preservado, exumado da n…
Exploring the relationship between entheseal changes and physical activity
Analyses of entheseal changes (EC) in identified skeletal samples employ a common research strategy based on the comparison between occupations grouped on the basis of shared biomechanical and/or social characteristics. Results from this approach are often ambiguous, with some studies that point to differences in EC between occupational samples and others failing to provide evidence of behavioral effects on EC. Here we investigate patterns of EC …
The Coimbra Workshop in Musculoskeletal Stress Markers (MSM)
The Workshop in Musculoskeletal Stress Markers (MSM): limitations and achievements in the reconstruction of past activity patterns, was held at the \nUniversity of Coimbra, in Portugal (2nd – 3rd July 2009). The chief goal of the \norganizing committee was to provide a productive environment where researchers could discuss the methodologies and terminology employed for the study of MSM \nas well as assessing how well these enthesopathies serve as…
Categorization of Occupation in Documented Skeletal Collections
Studies on identified skeletal collections yield discordant results about the association between osseous changes and activity. These dissonances can be ascribed to several factors: the variability of the osseous changes selected for observation, the inconsistency of their interpretative criteria and the inhomogeneous classification of occupation, here used as synonym of profession, within each study. The need to standardize the concept of occupa…
Hip fractures in the Portuguese archaeological record
Fractures are ubiquitous in the archaeological record but the majority of these are the consequence of a traumatic incident and do not reflect any loss of strength inherent to the bone. So-called \nfragility fractures, particularly hip fractures, are considered uncommon occurrences in skeletal populations from the past. Nevertheless, evidence of this type of fracture in the archaeological record is \nincreasing. A methodical search for possible h…
Paleohistology and the study of human remains
The invention of the microscope revolutionized the course of human knowledge. This instrument changed the face of science and of previous beliefs, expanded the horizons of knowledge, and challenged philosophical and scientific thought, especially in the field of natural sciences and medicine. In the domain of bioarchaeology, the introduction of histological techniques was important; not only to identify body tissues and to diagnose diseases in mu…
Beyond the cause of death
Identified osteological collections are important sources for pathological studies, especially \nwhen the causes of death of the individuals are known. However, the individual may have suffered \nfrom other disorders, not related to the death and thus absent from written record of death. The aims \nof this paper are to describe the pathological signs perceptible on a skeleton, and to consider the possible \naetiologies beyond the recorded cause o…
Exploring “wear and tear” of joints and “muscle function” assumptions in skeletons with known occupation at death
OBJECTIVES: Changes in the joints are believed to result from "wear and tear," a consequence of activity, as entheseal changes (EC) result from muscle use. However, clinical data showed that activity does not necessarily increase the likelihood of degenerative joint changes (DJC) and that exercise results in healthier joints. We tested whether individuals with continuous repetitive biomechanical efforts (Group 1) were more likely to exhibit EC an…
An unusual coronoid fracture in a fragment of ulna recovered from the Prehistoric site of Buraca da Moira Rock Shelter (Boa Vista, Leiria)
In 2015, several disarticulated human skeletal remains were identified in the top layers of the prehistoric site of Buraca da Moira Rock Shelter (Boa Vista, Leiria), during the archaeological excavation carried out under the scope of the EcoPLis — Human Occupations in the Pleistocene Ecotones of the River Lis project. The recovery of chert, constiquartz and quartzite blanks, a schist plate, as well as adornments in bone and shell indicates a Late…
A possible case of acquired syphilis at the former Royal Hospital of All-Saints (RHAS) in Lisbon, Portugal (18th century)
Between the years of 1999 and 2001, during the excavation of the Praça da Figueira (Lisbon, Portugal), several human osteological remains from various chronological periods were discovered. Amongst them several skeletons are known to be related with the Hospital Real de Todos-os-Santos (Royal Hospital of All Saints - RHAS), which had an important role. The hospital history begun in 1492 and ended in 1755 largely as a consequence of the Lisbon ear…
Metastatic carcinoma in a 14th-19th century skeleton from Constância (Portugal)
During 2002, the extensive archaeological excavations of the ancient Constância necropolis (Centre of Portugal), dated from 14th-19th centuries, resulted in the exhumation of 151 individuals. Among the several paleopathological cases, a middle-aged female skeleton with osteolytic lesions in her skull, axial skeleton, upper limbs and femurs was observed. These pathological findings are characterised by an asymmetric pattern with osteolytic focus o…
Testemunhos de violência nos ossos humanos
O trauma é responsável por alguma incapacidade física entre os humanos actuais, tal como terá sido entre os nossos ancestrais. Apesar desta presença constante, a interpretação das lesões e a respectiva etiologia é bastante difícil em populações do passado, senão mesmo impossível, principalmente no que concerne ao estudo da violência interpessoal. Neste trabalho, as evidências de trauma foram investigadas num esqueleto bem preservado, exumado da n…
Hip fractures in the Portuguese archaeological record
Fractures are ubiquitous in the archaeological record but the majority of these are the consequence of a traumatic incident and do not reflect any loss of strength inherent to the bone. So-called \nfragility fractures, particularly hip fractures, are considered uncommon occurrences in skeletal populations from the past. Nevertheless, evidence of this type of fracture in the archaeological record is \nincreasing. A methodical search for possible h…
Metastatic carcinoma in a 14th-19th century skeleton from Constância (Portugal)
During 2002, the extensive archaeological excavations of the ancient Constância necropolis (Centre of Portugal), dated from 14th-19th centuries, resulted in the exhumation of 151 individuals. Among the several paleopathological cases, a middle-aged female skeleton with osteolytic lesions in her skull, axial skeleton, upper limbs and femurs was observed. These pathological findings are characterised by an asymmetric pattern with osteolytic focus o…
Evidence of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy in individuals from the Coimbra Skeletal Identified Collection (Portugal)
The Coimbra Workshop in Musculoskeletal Stress Markers (MSM)
The Workshop in Musculoskeletal Stress Markers (MSM): limitations and achievements in the reconstruction of past activity patterns, was held at the \nUniversity of Coimbra, in Portugal (2nd – 3rd July 2009). The chief goal of the \norganizing committee was to provide a productive environment where researchers could discuss the methodologies and terminology employed for the study of MSM \nas well as assessing how well these enthesopathies serve as…
Beyond the cause of death
Identified osteological collections are important sources for pathological studies, especially \nwhen the causes of death of the individuals are known. However, the individual may have suffered \nfrom other disorders, not related to the death and thus absent from written record of death. The aims \nof this paper are to describe the pathological signs perceptible on a skeleton, and to consider the possible \naetiologies beyond the recorded cause o…
Categorization of Occupation in Documented Skeletal Collections
Studies on identified skeletal collections yield discordant results about the association between osseous changes and activity. These dissonances can be ascribed to several factors: the variability of the osseous changes selected for observation, the inconsistency of their interpretative criteria and the inhomogeneous classification of occupation, here used as synonym of profession, within each study. The need to standardize the concept of occupa…
La danza de los esqueletos
Los científicos tienen un importante rol en el desarrollo de interfaces entre el conocimiento científico producido y las escuelas y/o el público en general. En Portugal, sin embargo, la transferencia de conocimiento entre las universidades y el público fue una actividad desvalorizada durante décadas. Con el objetivo de contrarrestar esta tendencia, una organización científica sin fines de lucro llamada Grupo de Estudio en Evolución Humana, con lu…
Exploring poverty
Differences found were not necessarily representative of low vs high socio-economic status. Furthermore, there are limitations associated with the use of occupation-at-death, based on documentary evidence, which does not necessarily reflect wealth-status
Exploring the relationship between entheseal changes and physical activity
Analyses of entheseal changes (EC) in identified skeletal samples employ a common research strategy based on the comparison between occupations grouped on the basis of shared biomechanical and/or social characteristics. Results from this approach are often ambiguous, with some studies that point to differences in EC between occupational samples and others failing to provide evidence of behavioral effects on EC. Here we investigate patterns of EC …
A possible case of acquired syphilis at the former Royal Hospital of All-Saints (RHAS) in Lisbon, Portugal (18th century)
Between the years of 1999 and 2001, during the excavation of the Praça da Figueira (Lisbon, Portugal), several human osteological remains from various chronological periods were discovered. Amongst them several skeletons are known to be related with the Hospital Real de Todos-os-Santos (Royal Hospital of All Saints - RHAS), which had an important role. The hospital history begun in 1492 and ended in 1755 largely as a consequence of the Lisbon ear…
In search of consensus
Paleohistology and the study of human remains
The invention of the microscope revolutionized the course of human knowledge. This instrument changed the face of science and of previous beliefs, expanded the horizons of knowledge, and challenged philosophical and scientific thought, especially in the field of natural sciences and medicine. In the domain of bioarchaeology, the introduction of histological techniques was important; not only to identify body tissues and to diagnose diseases in mu…
Is it a cystic or a cyst-like condition? Discussing the etiology of an unusual large mandibular lesion in a Roman skeleton from Quinta da Torrinha/Quinta de Santo António (Almada, Portugal)
Is differential diagnosis attainable in disarticulated pathological bone remains? A case-study from a late 19th/early 20th century necropolis from Juncal (Porto de Mós, Portugal)
An unusual coronoid fracture in a fragment of ulna recovered from the Prehistoric site of Buraca da Moira Rock Shelter (Boa Vista, Leiria)
In 2015, several disarticulated human skeletal remains were identified in the top layers of the prehistoric site of Buraca da Moira Rock Shelter (Boa Vista, Leiria), during the archaeological excavation carried out under the scope of the EcoPLis — Human Occupations in the Pleistocene Ecotones of the River Lis project. The recovery of chert, constiquartz and quartzite blanks, a schist plate, as well as adornments in bone and shell indicates a Late…
Historical, demographic, curatorial and legal aspects of the BoneMedLeg human skeletal reference collection (Porto, Portugal)
The BoneMedLeg research project was developed to address current research concerns related to the use of skeletal reference collections for forensic purposes. These concerns were partly addressed by amassing a new reference collection which incorporates unclaimed human remains sourced from two municipal cemeteries in the city of Porto, Portugal. Amassed between 2012 and 2014 the collection was developed with permission from and in partnership wit…
Exploring “wear and tear” of joints and “muscle function” assumptions in skeletons with known occupation at death
OBJECTIVES: Changes in the joints are believed to result from "wear and tear," a consequence of activity, as entheseal changes (EC) result from muscle use. However, clinical data showed that activity does not necessarily increase the likelihood of degenerative joint changes (DJC) and that exercise results in healthier joints. We tested whether individuals with continuous repetitive biomechanical efforts (Group 1) were more likely to exhibit EC an…
Evidence of specialized resource exploitation by Modern Humans in Western Iberia associated to Pleistocene and Holocene extreme environmental conditions
Throughout prehistory, landscapes were repeatedly subjected to both global and localized climatic fluctuations that changed the regional environments where human groups lived. This instability demanded constant adaptation and, as a result, the functionality of some sites changed over time. In this light, the western coast of Iberia represents an exceptional case study due to the proximity between at least some oceanic cores and archaeological sit…
A rare femoral heterotopic bone formation in a 14th-19th century female skeleton from Constância (Portugal)
Not written on the records
This article aims to describe a paleopathological case consistent with a paediatric hip joint trauma, discussing its aetiologies and lifelong implications, such as limb asymmetry and osteoarthritis. The case studied is a well-preserved skeleton of a female individual (Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa) who died in Lisbon in 1954, at the age of 54. The bone changes were macroscopic and radiologically studied, …
A Smile From the Past
This paper presents the first documented case of a fixed bone dental bridge in Portugal. This item was recovered alongside the remains of a young adult individual of indeterminate sex from the 19th century burial site of the 3rd Order of Our Lady of Carmo in Porto, Portugal. Despite the remains being mostly complete and well preserved, the maxilla is edentulous and the mandible is missing, with only two loose mandibular teeth recovered. The crani…
Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies (14 obras) · Medicine (12 obras) · Pathology (8 obras) · Anatomy (6 obras) · Paleopathology and ancient diseases (6 obras) · Archaeology (4 obras) · Geography (4 obras) · Paleopathology (4 obras) · Pathological (4 obras) · Sociology (4 obras)