Exploring the interplay of bone lesions: unraveling health implications and daily life challenges in an Iron Age skeleton from Ya'amun, Jordan

Abstract

This study analyzed the paleopathological conditions of a 30-year-old male unearthed at the site of Ya'amun in northern Jordan. The skeleton was dated back to Iron age. The paleopathological examinations were performed using macroscopic and radiological analyses. The results revealed multiple significant bone lesions, including periosteal osteosarcoma of the right femur, plagiocephaly, asymmetry of the sacrum, vertebral fractures, anemia, and osteoarthritis. This case represents the first example of neoplasm and plagiocephaly in the Iron Age of the region. Despite enduring severe health conditions, the individual managed to reach the third decade while facing the demands of strenuous daily activities that exemplified the harsh living and subsistence conditions characteristic of the Iron Age.