Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 83. (Budapest 1991)

Ferencz, M.: Joint diseases in Medieval cemetery in Hungary

In the late Medieval cemetery 17 skeletons (65.4%) show the signs of this lesion. We can see the moderate form at 7.7% of the series and the expressed form at the 57.7% of the whole series (Fig. 1) The common frequency of spondylosis deformans is generally lower. It is only 14.2% in the Avar age cemetery of Solymár (FERENCZ 1982-83). Osteoarthrosis deformans is most characteristic of the joints of limbs, especially the knee-joint. The articular cartilage becomes thin, the cartilage surface completely erodes, becomes smooth and the underlying bone is exposed. Irregular bony spurs arise from the periphery of the bone (STEINBOCK 1976) (Plate I: 3-4, Plate II: 5-6, Plate III: 7-9). In the Árpádian-age series we can recognize osteoarthrosis deformans on the bones of 42 individuals (29.2%). Not including the Senium females (owing to their small number, the 50% frequency is not real), the Mature males suffered mostly from this disease, 40.9%. 20-21% of the females suffered from osteoarthrosis deformans (Fig. 2). The late Medieval population displays the symptoms of this lesion in the same proportion (30.8%). The Mat males were affected the most (50%), but 40% of the Mat females also had osteoarthrosis deformans (Fig. 2). The Mature woman of Gr. No. 381 had six of her dorsal vertebrae ossified into one (Plate III: 10). In spondylarthrosis ankylopoetica {ankylosing spondylitis) intervertebral joints and their ligaments become sclerotic and ossify. In lateral view the vertebrae often appear squared due to loss of normal anterior concavity. The ossified ligaments connect the vertebrae and create the apperance of a "bamboo" spine. Opinions are divided about the reason of the process. HARANGHY (1960) thought it of rheumatic origin, but STEINBOCK (1976) separated ankylosing spondylitis from rheumatoid arthritis for varios reasons. Ankylosing spondylitis has a different inheritance patterns from rheumatoid arthritis and their relative sex incidence is evidently opposed. While rheumatoid arthritis is more common among females, males are more often stricken with ankylosing spondylitis. We could not give an exact diagnosis as it was impossible to define the direction of ankylosis on the spinal column. Ankylosis may develop from below upwards (Marie Strümpell Disease) or in the contrary direction (Bechterew Syndrom) (FARKAS 1972). The last lumbal vertebra of this woman was ossified to the sacrum, other vertebrae also showed spondylosis deformans. The experience shows that joint diseases and anomalies of the spine accumulate. It is confirmed by our case, too. CONCLUSIONS In summarizing the results of our investigation we can see that the frequency of degenerative joint diseases is unusually high both in the Árpádian-age and in the late Medieval cemetery. We can look for the cause of this phenomenon in the living circumstances and the working conditions of the populations. In the Middle Ages this territory was wetter than nowadays because some of the dead-chanels of the river Tisza were near the village. As we know, in the Árpádian-period the houses were dug into the ground, and their wall must have been damp. Over the centuries the construction of houses changed. In the Middle Ages people lived in houses built above the ground having drier walls.