Female biological resiliency: Differential stress response by sex in human remains from ancient Nubia |
| |
Authors: | S G Sheridan D P Van Gerven |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Anthropology 314 O’Shaugnessy Hall, University of Notre Dame, 46556 Notre Dame, IN, USA;(2) Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, 80309 Boulder, CO, USA |
| |
Abstract: | This research presents male-female differences in stress response evidenced in human remains from the Medieval site of Kulubnarti
in Sudanese Nubia. This analysis is unique in that a direct comparison of subadult males and females is rarely possible using
archaeological remains. Rather, such analyses invariably rely on evidence of subadult differences retained in adult (sexable)
skeletons. In the case of Kulubnarti, natural mummification has made it possible to measure sex-specific differences among
subadults as well as adults following five avenues of investigation: 1) mortality, 2) growth and development, 3) enamel hypoplasia,
4) cribra orbitalia, and 5) cortical bone maintenance.
A comparison of mean life expectancy (eox) values for males and females aged 10–55+ years revealed a consistent pattern of
greater female survivorship, particularly in childhood (age 10 category) where female life expectancy exceeds that of males
by 19%. Measures of growth and development, enamel hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia, and cortical bone loss were subsequently
used to test a hypothesis of greater female resiliency based on the mortality data.
Male-female differences in skeletal maturation are pronounced with male skeletal ages averaging a significant 2.9 years below
their dental age. Females show no significant differences with an average skeletal age 0.75 years ahead of dental age. Males
begin hypoplasia formation one year earlier than females and, prior to age four, average 18% more hypoplasias (p<0.05). Also,
by age 8, males have on average more than twice the frequency of cribra orbitalia (p<0.05).
In contrast to their consistent pattern of reduced childhood stress, adult females lose significantly more cortical bone than
their male counterparts and have less cortical bone across the adult age range. Nevertheless, females outnumber males of all
ages with a sex-ratio below but parallel to that observed in modern populations. The rapid age-related reduction in males
relative to females, even in old age, suggests a continuing female resiliency in spite of their greater rate of osteopenia
and may reflect a reproductive advantage to the population through heightened female survival and adaptability. |
| |
Keywords: | Nutrition Growth Stress Sex Differences Nubia |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|