Bilateral absence of the lesser trochanter in a late Epigravettian skeleton from Arene Candide (Italy)

A virtually complete skeleton recovered from excavations in a Late Upper Paleolithic context by Cardini between 1940 and 1942 at the Arene Candide cave (NW Italy) lacks the normal development of the left and right lesser trochanters. The specimen is a short-statured male about 25 years old and shows no other especially peculiar skeletal irregularities, except for high negative angles of femoral torsion. We discuss a number of possible etiologies for the anomalous absence of the lesser trochanters. The condition is most likely a result of an epigenetic effect or a traumatic avulsion of both lesser trochanters. If the absence of normal development of the lesser trochanters involves a congenital condition, it is an extremely rare, previously undescribed trait. If the condition results from bilateral traumatic avulsion, it is probably the result of excessive muscular stress on the proximal femur and provides further evidence of hardship of life in Paleolithic populations and of the ability of these people to survive debilitating trauma.