In palaeopathology, histological examination of bone affected by treponematosis has been limited to the identification and validation of diagnostic markers. However, focusing on larger collections of archaeological human skeletal remains can help elucidate the biological processes of treponematosis, and its effects on bone growth and microanatomy.

This seminar will present qualitative and quantitative changes that occur in bone microstructure due to treponematosis in64 adults from Taumako, Solomon Islands (440-150ybp). It will discuss intra-individual skeletal changes found in response to treponematosis, as well as the potential application of multivariate analysis for the diagnosis of treponematosis from thin sections. Finally, a first histological examination of a caries sicca lesion in an individual from ‘Atele, Tonga (~460ybp) will be presented. This research demonstrates that disease response in bone can be better understood through palaeohistopathology, going beyond identification only.

Karen Cooke is a PhD candidate at ANU, currently researching the pathological changes in archaeological human bone through dry bone histology. Her previous research has investigated topics in dental anthropology and genomics.