Dean Esmay writes of Staffan's 2 refs on compression fractures and thinned
bone cortices in archaeological Eskimo skeletons:

>Cortices is the plural form of Cortex.  Bone cortext would be the outer
>layer, as opposed to the inner layer such as the marrow.  Thin bone
>cortices are not the same thing as osteoporosis, although I wouldn't call
>them a good thing.  I'm not aware of anything showing a high degree of
>critical hip fractures or spinal deformity, which are commonly observable
>in those suffering from osteoporosis.   Of course the Inuit's shorter
>lifespans would have something to do with that, though Stefansson indicated
>that it was not unusual for Inuit to live into their 60s.
>
>A high degree of compression fractures isn't particularly meaningful unless
>we can compare it to the rate for other hunter/gatherer peoples.
>Compression fractures can be caused by a rough lifestyle (high school
>football players get them all the time; I got one myself a few years ago
>from a hard fall on my butt that also cracked my tailbone) and I would
>expect them to be somewhat common among any people whose existence was so
>dependent upon hunting with spears and fishing stuff out of holes in ice.

Dean, not to be contrary here but in the spirit of stimulating open
investigation, are you sure your first impulse here isn't to try to find
*insignificance* in the data rather than look for significance of the
possible evidence? (Of course, I realize it's hard to evaluate it without
actually seeing the studies yet.) That compression fractures may be common
amongst us moderns--unless perhaps we have eaten Paleolithic diets for
quite some time--given one would think our skeletons would probably be
likely to be much lower than of average strength compared to earlier
Paleolithic peoples, doesn't seem to me like much of an indictment against
the evidence. Just wanting to stimulate some digging here. Other than your
comments, I see Staffan's references have not exactly provoked a flurry of
inquisitiveness that might call prevailing views here into question. As you
suggested, we would need to look at the incidence of these compression
fractures and thinned cortices in other hunter-gatherers to provide a more
fair control group to compare against.

--Ward Nicholson <[log in to unmask]>