The Bone Bed at the Crow Creek Massacre Site
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The Bone Bed at the Crow Creek Massacre Site
In the mid-fourteenth century A.D., more than 486 individuals were massacred at the Crow Creek Site, 39BF11, located on the east bank of the Missouri River in South Dakota. In the study of their remains, a search was made for diseases, anomalies, and abnormalities which had affected these people during life and had left an imprint on their bones. Because the villagers had apparently lived and died together in a pre-White contact Initial Contact village and were ancestral to the Arikara, data from the study could provide important information about them, their lifestyle, and also regarding the health status of the aborigines in the pre-Columbian era.
39BF11 Crow Creek Massacre Site. Time in history: A.D. 1350.
Tribal affiliation: Proto Arikara Sex: male Age: Adult
CCXCI - A: A-p view
This man sustained a sub trochanteric fracture, which was well healed, with good callus formation. There was overriding about 8 cm and 25° angulation, but no evidence of compounding of the fracture, or osteomyelitis. No arthritic changes were on the femoral head. The fact that he survived at least four months before his death, attests that life support was available. Healed fractures were in 30 Crow Creek bones, of which 1/734 femora (bones counted) were in involved.
CCXCI - B. Radiograph, A-P and Lateral views
The radiograph of this specimen shows callus formation, medial angulation of the distal fragment, and about 8.0 cm of fore shortening.
39BF11 Crow Creek Massacre Site. Time in history: A.D. 1350.
Tribal affiliation: Proto Arikara Sex: ? ? Age: Adult
XXXVIII - A. (Lateral)
XXXVIII - B. (Medial)
Medial and lateral views of skull fragments (parietal bone) show a large circumscribed area of osteomyelitis on the outer surface. This is commensurate
with the effects of antemortem scalping. On the parietal bone medially there
are many dilated vascular spaces, as would be seen with inflammatory process on
the bone's surface. This process appears to healing, and the individual was
able to function until the time of death.
Two of 392 skulls from Crow Creek had similar antemortem scalping defects. That
scalping was prevalent at this time in history in this region indicates that
the practice antedates the coming of the white man to the North America.
39BF11 Crow Creek Massacre Site. Time in history: A.D. 1350.
Tribal affiliation: Proto Arikara Sex: ? ? Age: Adult
LXVII
The fragmented maxilla shows dental wear and attrition, three abscesses, antral oral fistula formation bilaterally, and loss of teeth, mirroring the poor dental hygiene that prevaled. Of the 129 identifiable maxillae at Crow Creek, 66 (51%) had some form of inflammatory dental disease.
39BF11 Crow Creek Massacre Site. Time in history: A.D. 1350.
Tribal affiliation: Proto Arikara Sex: ? ? Age: Adult
CXXXVII
Lateral view of the right temporal bone shows complete obstruction of the external auditory canal by a mass of spongy bone. The other temporal bone was not available for investigation, but no similar findings were in the Crow Creek bones. This lesion would have produced a conductive hearing loss of about 25 db. External canal exostoses (non-obstructive) were in 7.4 % of the temporal bones. The mastoid radiographs (not illustrated) showed normal pneumatization of the mastoid process, but no other disease process.
39BF11 Crow Creek Massacre Site. Time in history: A.D. 1350.
Tribal affiliation: Proto Arikara Sex: ? ? Age: 6 - 7 years
CCCXII - A. Lateral view of the hemi-pelvis
The left femoral head is flattened and the acetabulum is severely eroded in the pelvis of a 6-7 year old child. The right side of the pelvis was not present. There is angulation of the femoral neck, attrition of the femoral head. Degenerative changes are visible on both surfaces of the joint. No similar changes were found in other specimens.
CCCXII - B. Radiograph of the hemi-pelvis
Radiographs show rarification of the bones, altered medullary architecture, and marked cortical thinning commensurate with atrophy of disuse and secondary osteoporosis. This was interpreted as the result of Perthes disease (osteochondritis of the capital femoral epiphysis, cause unknown, possibly a vascular disturbance). Traumatic dislocation was a diagnostic consideration.
39BF11 Crow Creek Massacre Site. Time in history: A.D. 1350.
Tribal affiliation: Proto Arikara Sex: ? ? Age: Adult
LIV - A) Superior view of the radius and ulna.
The left radius and ulna are fused proximally in a position of supination.
LIV - B) Radiograph cif the radius and ulna.
Radiographs show smooth interweaving of the bony trabeculae, indicating this to be a congenital fusion. Another similar specimen, consisting of the right radius and ulna was recovered about .75 meter distant from this in the Crow Creek communal burial. It was not possible to tell whether the two specimens were from the same individual. The distal ends of the bones were not available for examination. No similar processes were present.
(15)
The left temporomandibular joint is shown. The head of the mandible and the articular fossa of the temporal bone show erosion of the joint surfaces of moderate degree. This might lead to trouble with mastication and pain in the joint on motion. Of the 131 mandibles examined from Crow Creek, 25 (18.3%) had alterations in the joint surfaces.
(55) - A) lateral view
(55) - B) anterior - posterior view
In the left lateral and anterior posterior views, an isolated adult mandible
displays unilateral deformity of congenital origin which includes hypoplasia
of the ascending ramus, malformed head, and asymmetry. A full complement of
adult tooth sockets were present, and wear patterns were similar on the
remaining teeth.
This is a grade I variation in hemifacial microsomia ("Andy Gump" deformity).
The individual had an 86% chance of ossicular deformity (malleus/incus) and a
90% chance of external ear deformity, if anomalies associated similarly in the
14 th century as they do today.
39BF11 Crow Creek Massacre Site. Time in history: A.D. 1350.
Tribal affiliation: Proto Arikara Sex: male Age: Adult
(40)
A healed, deeply depressed fracture (20 mm) was in the left frontal region of an adult male skull. Radiographs (not illustrated) showed medial displacement of the fragments and dense reparative bone in the fracture line. The new bone formation indicates that the fracture occurred many months previously. This skull was disarticulated, making it impossible to search for neurological damage elsewhere.
39BF11 Crow Creek Massacre Site. Time in history: A.D. 1350.
Tribal affiliation: Proto Arikara Sex: ? ? Age: Sub-adult
CCLXXXI
The vascular channels coursing toward the epiphyseal plate of the posterior,
distal femur are markedly accentuated, roughened, and disorganized. This
indicates deficiencies in osteoid production and calcium deposition, producing
a honeycombed pattern. It indicates some metabolic disturbance affecting the
individual in the immediate ante-mortem period. Scurvy is an excellent possibility.
Of the sub-adult bones identified, 40 tibii, 36 femurs, 22 humeri, 7 fibulae
and 2 clavicles had similar markings.
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John B. Gregg, M.D.
medical education, paleopathology
2807 South Phillips Avenue
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57105
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