Ancient bone disease in a Peruvian mummy revealed by quantitative skeletal histomorphometry

Histomorphometry of an undecalcified, transileal bone core from a Peruvian mummy dating from the pre-Columbian civilization at Chancay, Peru (A.D. 400–1600) showed low trabecular bone volume and trabecular atrophy suggesting skeletal pathology. Subtle metabolic disorders which might remain undetected by quantitative analyses limited to cortical bone architecture can be identified in extinct populations with this minimally invasive technique.