Alejandra C . Ordóñez | Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (original) (raw)

Conference Presentations by Alejandra C . Ordóñez

Research paper thumbnail of La vie après l'isolement. L'adaptation bioculturelle des populations aborigènes des Canaries

Journée Scientifique "Populations en mouvement au Maghreb et dans les îles alentours à l'Holocène", 2019

Au principe de notre Ère, les Îles Canaries furent peuplées par des populations d’origine Berbère... more Au principe de notre Ère, les Îles Canaries furent peuplées par des populations d’origine Berbère du Nord de l’Afrique. Pour des motifs encore inconnus, ils sont restés pratiquement isolés jusqu’au début de la conquête européenne au XIVème siècle. Pendant tout ce temps-là, bien qu’elles partageassent un substrat culturel commun, les populations aborigènes ont dû s’adapter aux nouvelles conditions de vie dans chaque île, en modifiant leurs stratégies de survie et leurs structures socio-économiques selon les régions. Grâce aux études anthropologiques menés dès le XIXème siècle et aux sources ethno-historiques de la conquête, nous disposons de riche information sur les modes de vie quotidienne des aborigènes, sur leur alimentation, et sur les maladies qu’ils ont subies. Pour étudier plus en profondeur cela, nous avons utilisé des méthodologies liées à la Biomécanique, la Paléopathologie, et les analyses chimiques des restes humains. D’ailleurs, les sources ethno-historiques, fruit d’une mentalité du Bas Moyen Âge et de la Renaissance, nous offrent une vision sensiblement androcentrique et biaisée sur les sociétés aborigènes. C’est pourquoi ces dernières années, dès l’Ostéoarcheologie une perspective davantage centrée sur le genre a permis de mieux connaître le rôle de la femme et de l’homme au sein de ces communautés.

Papers by Alejandra C . Ordóñez

Research paper thumbnail of Estudio sobre ADN antiguo en restos arqueológicos desde una perspectiva histórica. El caso de las islas canarias

El analisis de ADN en muestras antiguas puede abrir muchas vias de estudio para la Arqueologia y ... more El analisis de ADN en muestras antiguas puede abrir muchas vias de estudio para la Arqueologia y la Historia. La posibilidad de obtener ADNa en muestras antropologicas antiguas se ha impuesto como una herramienta fundamental para comprender la evolucion del poblamiento del Archipielago Canario, caracterizado por la mezcla de aportes geneticos propia de una sociedad de frontera. Desde la decada de los noventa del siglo pasado se han intensificado las actuaciones arqueologicas en espacios sepulcrales canarios, proporcionando restos humanos no solo pertenecientes al ambito cronologico y cultural aborigen, sino tambien a epocas posteriores a la conquista y colonizacion de las islas, sobre todo de los siglos XVII y XVIII Los objetivos propuestos en esta tesis doctoral pretenden profundizar en la aplicacion de los procedimientos de la genetica molecular en restos humanos procedentes de yacimientos prehistoricos (aborigenes) valorando los contextos arqueologicos e historicos. Estos objetiv...

Research paper thumbnail of Admixture results based on mtDNA haplogroup frequencies

Research paper thumbnail of The talus of the pre-Hispanic population from Punta Azul (El Hierro, Canary Islands): Variability and sexual dimorphism of non-metric traits

International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2022

The aim of this study was assessing the prevalence of os trigonum, talo-calcaneal facets and squa... more The aim of this study was assessing the prevalence of os trigonum, talo-calcaneal facets and squatting facet variations among pre-Hispanic individuals (around 940 ± 30 BP) placed in the collective burial cave of Punta Azul (El Hierro, Canary Islands), and to assess whether prevalence differed among sexes. A total of 149 tali (70 right and 79 left) belonging to adult individuals were found in a comingled context. Sex determination was achieved as following: genetic sexing of a subsample of 35 tali was assessed using paleogenomic procedures. Anthropometric measurements of the genetically sexed bones were used to calculate an accurate discriminant function that was later applied to the remaining 114 tali. We observed marked differences in the os trigonum pattern among male and female tali, whereas no relevant differences were observed regarding the other two traits. A very high prevalence of squatting facets was observed in both sexes, higher than the reported frequencies for other population groups.

The summarized conclusions in this study are the following: a) the high prevalence of the squatting facets observed in both males and females could indicate the performance of a similar activity that requires a squatting position, such as shellfishing. b) We observed a predominance of the type C talo-calcaneal facet configuration among the population that indicates a maximal mobility of the talar joint, well adapted to displacement and/or activities such as goat herding in the steep landscape of El Hierro. c) The statistically different os trigonum pattern among sexes may suggest a greater activity associated to jumping and climbing among males, possibly related to goat herding in the steep landscape of the island of El Hierro.

Research paper thumbnail of MDS plot based on haplogroup frequency distances

Research paper thumbnail of DNA authentication results for all the samples included in this study

<p>A) Insert size density plot. B) Contamination rates estimated using contamMix and schmut... more <p>A) Insert size density plot. B) Contamination rates estimated using contamMix and schmutzi. C) Damage patterns.</p

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis genético y documental de las poblaciones de origen africano en la sociedad canaria del siglo XVIII y su relación con el tráfico de esclavos

XXI Coloquio de Historia Canario-Americana, 2016, 2016

© 2016 Cabildo de Gran Canaria. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términ... more © 2016 Cabildo de Gran Canaria. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObraDerivada 4.0 Internacional.

Research paper thumbnail of Estudios de adn antiguo en restos arqueológicos Infantiles

XX Coloquio de Historia Canario-Americana, 2014, págs. 1213-1220, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Visión bioantropológica de los efectos del consumo de hojas de coca en las poblaciones indígenas andinas americanas

XIX Coloquio de Historia Canario-Americana (2010), 2012, ISBN 978-84-8103-650-3, págs. 1400-1413, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis genético y documental de las poblaciones de origen africano en la sociedad canaria del siglo XVIII y su relación con el tráfico de esclavos / Genetic and document analysis of the African population in the Canary Islands during the XVIIIth

Coloquios de Historia Canario Americana, 2014

© 2016 Cabildo de Gran Canaria. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términ... more © 2016 Cabildo de Gran Canaria. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObraDerivada 4.0 Internacional.

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic studies on the prehispanic population buried in Punta Azul cave (El Hierro, Canary Islands)

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2017

The aim of this study was to establish the genetic studies of the population from one of the most... more The aim of this study was to establish the genetic studies of the population from one of the most important known aboriginal funerary spaces of the island of El Hierro (Canary Islands), the Punta Azul cave, which harbors remains of 127 individuals. Sixty-one adult tibiae were examined, 32 left and 29 right. Radiocarbon dating yields an antiquity of 1015–1210 AD. We have obtained an overall success rate of 88.5% for the molecular sexing, and of 90.16% for the uniparental markers. Short tandem repeats (STR) profiles were also possible for 45.9% of the samples. This performance is a consequence of the good conservation of the bones in their archaeological context. The mtDNA composition of the sample is characterized by the complete fixation of the H1-16260 lineage. These results can be explained by a mixture of consecutive founding events, a bottleneck episode at the beginning of the colonization and/or as a consequence of genetic drift. Paternal lineages were also affected by these processes but in a less acute way. These differences lead us to propose social behaviors as an explanation for this difference. The maternal transmission of the lineages, mentioned in ethnohistorical sources of the Archipelago, could be an explanation. These results could be in agreement with endogamous practices, but the autosomal STR results indicate a relative high diversity. These results have allowed us to characterize the Punta Azul cave population and see the way in which geographical isolation, the process of adaptation and specific social behaviors affected the aboriginal population of the Island.

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic studies on the prehispanic population buried in Punta Azul cave (El Hierro, Canary Islands)

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2017

The aim of this study was to establish the genetic studies of the population from one of the most... more The aim of this study was to establish the genetic studies of the population from one of the most important known aboriginal funerary spaces of the island of El Hierro (Canary Islands), the Punta Azul cave, which harbors remains of 127 individuals. Sixty-one adult tibiae were examined, 32 left and 29 right. Radiocarbon dating yields an antiquity of 1015–1210 AD. We have obtained an overall success rate of 88.5% for the molecular sexing, and of 90.16% for the uniparental markers. Short tandem repeats (STR) profiles were also possible for 45.9% of the samples. This performance is a consequence of the good conservation of the bones in their archaeological context. The mtDNA composition of the sample is characterized by the complete fixation of the H1-16260 lineage. These results can be explained by a mixture of consecutive founding events, a bottleneck episode at the beginning of the colonization and/or as a consequence of genetic drift. Paternal lineages were also affected by these processes but in a less acute way. These differences lead us to propose social behaviors as an explanation for this difference. The maternal transmission of the lineages, mentioned in ethnohistorical sources of the Archipelago, could be an explanation. These results could be in agreement with endogamous practices, but the autosomal STR results indicate a relative high diversity. These results have allowed us to characterize the Punta Azul cave population and see the way in which geographical isolation, the process of adaptation and specific social behaviors affected the aboriginal population of the Island.

Research paper thumbnail of A skeletal case of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy from the Canary Islands dating from 1000 BP

International Journal of Paleopathology, 2015

A left tibia, the distal right tibia, and the proximal four fifths of the right ulna and radius, ... more A left tibia, the distal right tibia, and the proximal four fifths of the right ulna and radius, probably belonging to an adult prehispanic man (antiquity of ≈1000 years BP) were found among commingled bone remains in a collective burial cave of the island of El Hierro, in the Canary Archipelago. All four bones show an intense periosteal bone formation, encrusting the preserved cortical bone of the diaphyses. Differential diagnosis include melorheostosis, syphilis, and leprosy, although the most likely diagnosis is hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, which is usually associated with lung neoplasm or non-malignant diseases leading to chronic hypoxemia. The marked bone proliferation, possibly due to a chronic condition, suggests that possibly the underlying illness was a non-malignant one.

Research paper thumbnail of Protocolos para la recogida de muestras en restos bioantropológicos. El caso del Tolmo de Minateda

ddd.uab.cat

Uno de los logros reconocidos de la antropología como disciplina científica es haber conseguido u... more Uno de los logros reconocidos de la antropología como disciplina científica es haber conseguido unificar los criterios y protocolos de estudio del material antropológico, sobre todo en aspectos de carácter básico y general (Ferembach et al.,1979; Buikstra y Ubelaker,1994; Campillo, 2001, entre otros). Teniendo en cuenta la importancia que han cobrado en los últimos años los análisis de laboratorio, químicos, genéticos, de isótopos, etc. en el estudio de los restos bioantropológicos, consideramos de gran importancia la estandarización en la recogida de las muestras que serán sometidas a estos procedimientos, como un paso indispensable en la validación de los resultados de éstos. Por esta razón hemos planteado la compilación y redacción de unos protocolos básicos que permitan la sistematización de una adecuada recogida de las muestras, facilitando así a los arqueólogos la valoración y el estudio de los materiales bioantropológicos. Estos protocolos tienen como finalidad la creación de un banco de muestras de distintos yacimientos, ya que si bien no siempre los proyectos cuentan con los medios necesarios para realizar todo tipo de análisis, la recogida adecuada de las muestras no implica ninguna dificultad y por el contrario brinda la posibilidad de poder realizar una gran cantidad de análisis en un futuro, permitiendo ampliar la información que se puede obtener del estudio de restos humanos. En este trabajo utilizaremos, a modo de ejemplo, el protocolo seguido en la recogida de muestras del material proveniente del Tolmo de Minateda, Albacete, depositado para su estudio en el Laboratorio de Prehistoria de la Universidad de La Laguna. Aunque en este caso la toma de muestras se realizó exclusivamente en el laboratorio, el ideal sería que el proceso se iniciara directamente en el campo, para disminuir los riesgos de una posible contaminación. En definitiva, nuestra propuesta pretende ser una herramienta más para los arqueólogos en su camino hacia la reconstrucción de los procesos sociales y su impacto sobre los seres humanos, tanto en un plano biológico como cultural.

Research paper thumbnail of A case of calcaneal osteomyelitis from the prehispanic population of El Hierro (Canary Islands)

International Journal of Paleopathology, 2015

A right calcaneus with a deep resorptive lesion surrounded by an osteosclerotic reaction in its l... more A right calcaneus with a deep resorptive lesion surrounded by an osteosclerotic reaction in its lateral aspect was found among intermingled bone remains in a collective burial cave of the island of El Hierro, in the Canary Archipelago. It belonged to an adult prehispanic man, with an estimated antiquity of ≈1000 years BP. The bone shows a penetrating lesion in the lateral aspect slightly superior-anterior to the calcaneal tuberosity, surrounded by a bone rim, and communicating with a large cavity opening cranially where Achilles tendon is inserted. The lesion is suggestive of calcaneal osteomyelitis. The initiating cause was probably a puncture wound, perhaps with a retained foreign body that caused the large abscess. Other infectious and non-infectious etiologic possibilities are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Nociones básicas para la determinación del sexo y la edad en restos bioantropológicos

espanolEn muchas ocasiones los/as arqueologos/as se topan con restos humanos durante las labores ... more espanolEn muchas ocasiones los/as arqueologos/as se topan con restos humanos durante las labores de excavacion. La necesidad de un primer analisis del material, en muchos casos como consecuencia del mal estado de conservacion, hace necesario el conocimiento de unas minimas nociones de los metodos mas utiles para la estimacion de la edad y el sexo en restos esqueleticos. Sin embargo, la escasa formacion del arqueologo/a en temas relacionados con la Antropologia Fisica y la dispersion bibliografica al respecto, hace necesario un conocimiento minimo de los principales metodos para llevar a cabo esta labor. En este sentido, se presenta en este trabajo una guia basica, aunque apoyada en una amplia bibliografia, que permite un primer acercamiento a este tipo de estudios, contribuyendose asi a la formacion interdisciplinar de los/las arqueologos/as. EnglishMany times during excavations archaeologists have to deal with human remains. Their preservation as well as other circumstances can lea...

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis genético y documental de las poblaciones de origen africano en la sociedad canaria del siglo XVIII y su relación con el tráfico de esclavos

espanolEl analisis de los haplotipos de origen subsahariano encontrados en los restos humanos rec... more espanolEl analisis de los haplotipos de origen subsahariano encontrados en los restos humanos recuperados en las excavaciones arqueologicas realizadas en la Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de La Concepcion de Santa Cruz de Tenerife nos permite profundizar en el estudio de la composicion y origen geografico de estas poblaciones en la sociedad canaria del siglo XVIII, y ver su posible relacion con el fenomeno de la esclavitud en la Edad Moderna. En la muestra estudiada se encontro una cierta diversidad de haplotipos de origen africano cuya presencia en el Archipielago puede deberse a distintos procesos historicos, que van desde la colonizacion aborigen hasta la posterior llegada a las islas de poblacion africana, tanto esclava como libre. Los resultados geneticos obtenidos se han comparado con la documentacion publicada sobre los libros de entierros de la Iglesia de la Concepcion de la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII, donde encontramos coincidencias sobre la procedencia de estas poblaciones e...

Research paper thumbnail of Sexual dimorphism: a comparative study between the prehispanic inhabitants from El Hierro and other populations of the world

European journal of anatomy, 2015

Sex estimation based on tibial measurements can be achieved using discriminant functions combinin... more Sex estimation based on tibial measurements can be achieved using discriminant functions combining several parameters. However, functions differ from one population to another, because sexual dimorphism may be more or less marked among different ancestry or ethnic groups. Calculation of one of these functions with the dimensions of populations other than that from which the function was obtained may misclassify a different proportion of males or females than when calculated with the dimensions of the original population. By dividing the proportions of correctly classified individuals when the function was applied to the population from which it derived and that of El Hierro (Canary Islands), we can calculate an index of male trait expression and an index of female trait expression, and, by addition of both indices, an index of sexual dimorphism. Therefore, it is possible to compare the degree of sexual dimorphism among several populations, at least regarding those measurements inclu...

Research paper thumbnail of 16. Use of Molecular Genetic Procedures for Sex Determination in 'Guanches' Children's Remains

Research paper thumbnail of Relationships between bending and torsional strengths of the tibia and simple anthropometric variables among the prehispanic population of El Hierro (Canary Islands)

European journal of anatomy, 2014

Assessment of skeletal robusticity is an important tool for the archaeologist and anthropologist,... more Assessment of skeletal robusticity is an important tool for the archaeologist and anthropologist, since it may be related to the intensity and type of activity performed by ancient population groups. Development of computed tomography (CT) allows determination of biomechanical properties of long bones. However, CT technology may not be easily available and is a relatively expensive procedure. Therefore, it is pertinent to estimate whether any of the parameters which can be easily measured in bare bones by simple anthropometry are useful to assess the torsional strength and bending strength of these bones. We included twenty one well preserved tibiae corresponding to prehispanic adult individuals (13 men) of El Hierro. These bones were anthropometrically measured following classical methods, and also subjected to CT analysis, and further calculation of minimum and maximum second moments and polar second moment of area, both at midshaft and at the nutrient foramen levels, using the so...

Research paper thumbnail of La vie après l'isolement. L'adaptation bioculturelle des populations aborigènes des Canaries

Journée Scientifique "Populations en mouvement au Maghreb et dans les îles alentours à l'Holocène", 2019

Au principe de notre Ère, les Îles Canaries furent peuplées par des populations d’origine Berbère... more Au principe de notre Ère, les Îles Canaries furent peuplées par des populations d’origine Berbère du Nord de l’Afrique. Pour des motifs encore inconnus, ils sont restés pratiquement isolés jusqu’au début de la conquête européenne au XIVème siècle. Pendant tout ce temps-là, bien qu’elles partageassent un substrat culturel commun, les populations aborigènes ont dû s’adapter aux nouvelles conditions de vie dans chaque île, en modifiant leurs stratégies de survie et leurs structures socio-économiques selon les régions. Grâce aux études anthropologiques menés dès le XIXème siècle et aux sources ethno-historiques de la conquête, nous disposons de riche information sur les modes de vie quotidienne des aborigènes, sur leur alimentation, et sur les maladies qu’ils ont subies. Pour étudier plus en profondeur cela, nous avons utilisé des méthodologies liées à la Biomécanique, la Paléopathologie, et les analyses chimiques des restes humains. D’ailleurs, les sources ethno-historiques, fruit d’une mentalité du Bas Moyen Âge et de la Renaissance, nous offrent une vision sensiblement androcentrique et biaisée sur les sociétés aborigènes. C’est pourquoi ces dernières années, dès l’Ostéoarcheologie une perspective davantage centrée sur le genre a permis de mieux connaître le rôle de la femme et de l’homme au sein de ces communautés.

Research paper thumbnail of Estudio sobre ADN antiguo en restos arqueológicos desde una perspectiva histórica. El caso de las islas canarias

El analisis de ADN en muestras antiguas puede abrir muchas vias de estudio para la Arqueologia y ... more El analisis de ADN en muestras antiguas puede abrir muchas vias de estudio para la Arqueologia y la Historia. La posibilidad de obtener ADNa en muestras antropologicas antiguas se ha impuesto como una herramienta fundamental para comprender la evolucion del poblamiento del Archipielago Canario, caracterizado por la mezcla de aportes geneticos propia de una sociedad de frontera. Desde la decada de los noventa del siglo pasado se han intensificado las actuaciones arqueologicas en espacios sepulcrales canarios, proporcionando restos humanos no solo pertenecientes al ambito cronologico y cultural aborigen, sino tambien a epocas posteriores a la conquista y colonizacion de las islas, sobre todo de los siglos XVII y XVIII Los objetivos propuestos en esta tesis doctoral pretenden profundizar en la aplicacion de los procedimientos de la genetica molecular en restos humanos procedentes de yacimientos prehistoricos (aborigenes) valorando los contextos arqueologicos e historicos. Estos objetiv...

Research paper thumbnail of Admixture results based on mtDNA haplogroup frequencies

Research paper thumbnail of The talus of the pre-Hispanic population from Punta Azul (El Hierro, Canary Islands): Variability and sexual dimorphism of non-metric traits

International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2022

The aim of this study was assessing the prevalence of os trigonum, talo-calcaneal facets and squa... more The aim of this study was assessing the prevalence of os trigonum, talo-calcaneal facets and squatting facet variations among pre-Hispanic individuals (around 940 ± 30 BP) placed in the collective burial cave of Punta Azul (El Hierro, Canary Islands), and to assess whether prevalence differed among sexes. A total of 149 tali (70 right and 79 left) belonging to adult individuals were found in a comingled context. Sex determination was achieved as following: genetic sexing of a subsample of 35 tali was assessed using paleogenomic procedures. Anthropometric measurements of the genetically sexed bones were used to calculate an accurate discriminant function that was later applied to the remaining 114 tali. We observed marked differences in the os trigonum pattern among male and female tali, whereas no relevant differences were observed regarding the other two traits. A very high prevalence of squatting facets was observed in both sexes, higher than the reported frequencies for other population groups.

The summarized conclusions in this study are the following: a) the high prevalence of the squatting facets observed in both males and females could indicate the performance of a similar activity that requires a squatting position, such as shellfishing. b) We observed a predominance of the type C talo-calcaneal facet configuration among the population that indicates a maximal mobility of the talar joint, well adapted to displacement and/or activities such as goat herding in the steep landscape of El Hierro. c) The statistically different os trigonum pattern among sexes may suggest a greater activity associated to jumping and climbing among males, possibly related to goat herding in the steep landscape of the island of El Hierro.

Research paper thumbnail of MDS plot based on haplogroup frequency distances

Research paper thumbnail of DNA authentication results for all the samples included in this study

<p>A) Insert size density plot. B) Contamination rates estimated using contamMix and schmut... more <p>A) Insert size density plot. B) Contamination rates estimated using contamMix and schmutzi. C) Damage patterns.</p

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis genético y documental de las poblaciones de origen africano en la sociedad canaria del siglo XVIII y su relación con el tráfico de esclavos

XXI Coloquio de Historia Canario-Americana, 2016, 2016

© 2016 Cabildo de Gran Canaria. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términ... more © 2016 Cabildo de Gran Canaria. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObraDerivada 4.0 Internacional.

Research paper thumbnail of Estudios de adn antiguo en restos arqueológicos Infantiles

XX Coloquio de Historia Canario-Americana, 2014, págs. 1213-1220, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Visión bioantropológica de los efectos del consumo de hojas de coca en las poblaciones indígenas andinas americanas

XIX Coloquio de Historia Canario-Americana (2010), 2012, ISBN 978-84-8103-650-3, págs. 1400-1413, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis genético y documental de las poblaciones de origen africano en la sociedad canaria del siglo XVIII y su relación con el tráfico de esclavos / Genetic and document analysis of the African population in the Canary Islands during the XVIIIth

Coloquios de Historia Canario Americana, 2014

© 2016 Cabildo de Gran Canaria. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términ... more © 2016 Cabildo de Gran Canaria. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObraDerivada 4.0 Internacional.

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic studies on the prehispanic population buried in Punta Azul cave (El Hierro, Canary Islands)

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2017

The aim of this study was to establish the genetic studies of the population from one of the most... more The aim of this study was to establish the genetic studies of the population from one of the most important known aboriginal funerary spaces of the island of El Hierro (Canary Islands), the Punta Azul cave, which harbors remains of 127 individuals. Sixty-one adult tibiae were examined, 32 left and 29 right. Radiocarbon dating yields an antiquity of 1015–1210 AD. We have obtained an overall success rate of 88.5% for the molecular sexing, and of 90.16% for the uniparental markers. Short tandem repeats (STR) profiles were also possible for 45.9% of the samples. This performance is a consequence of the good conservation of the bones in their archaeological context. The mtDNA composition of the sample is characterized by the complete fixation of the H1-16260 lineage. These results can be explained by a mixture of consecutive founding events, a bottleneck episode at the beginning of the colonization and/or as a consequence of genetic drift. Paternal lineages were also affected by these processes but in a less acute way. These differences lead us to propose social behaviors as an explanation for this difference. The maternal transmission of the lineages, mentioned in ethnohistorical sources of the Archipelago, could be an explanation. These results could be in agreement with endogamous practices, but the autosomal STR results indicate a relative high diversity. These results have allowed us to characterize the Punta Azul cave population and see the way in which geographical isolation, the process of adaptation and specific social behaviors affected the aboriginal population of the Island.

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic studies on the prehispanic population buried in Punta Azul cave (El Hierro, Canary Islands)

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2017

The aim of this study was to establish the genetic studies of the population from one of the most... more The aim of this study was to establish the genetic studies of the population from one of the most important known aboriginal funerary spaces of the island of El Hierro (Canary Islands), the Punta Azul cave, which harbors remains of 127 individuals. Sixty-one adult tibiae were examined, 32 left and 29 right. Radiocarbon dating yields an antiquity of 1015–1210 AD. We have obtained an overall success rate of 88.5% for the molecular sexing, and of 90.16% for the uniparental markers. Short tandem repeats (STR) profiles were also possible for 45.9% of the samples. This performance is a consequence of the good conservation of the bones in their archaeological context. The mtDNA composition of the sample is characterized by the complete fixation of the H1-16260 lineage. These results can be explained by a mixture of consecutive founding events, a bottleneck episode at the beginning of the colonization and/or as a consequence of genetic drift. Paternal lineages were also affected by these processes but in a less acute way. These differences lead us to propose social behaviors as an explanation for this difference. The maternal transmission of the lineages, mentioned in ethnohistorical sources of the Archipelago, could be an explanation. These results could be in agreement with endogamous practices, but the autosomal STR results indicate a relative high diversity. These results have allowed us to characterize the Punta Azul cave population and see the way in which geographical isolation, the process of adaptation and specific social behaviors affected the aboriginal population of the Island.

Research paper thumbnail of A skeletal case of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy from the Canary Islands dating from 1000 BP

International Journal of Paleopathology, 2015

A left tibia, the distal right tibia, and the proximal four fifths of the right ulna and radius, ... more A left tibia, the distal right tibia, and the proximal four fifths of the right ulna and radius, probably belonging to an adult prehispanic man (antiquity of ≈1000 years BP) were found among commingled bone remains in a collective burial cave of the island of El Hierro, in the Canary Archipelago. All four bones show an intense periosteal bone formation, encrusting the preserved cortical bone of the diaphyses. Differential diagnosis include melorheostosis, syphilis, and leprosy, although the most likely diagnosis is hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, which is usually associated with lung neoplasm or non-malignant diseases leading to chronic hypoxemia. The marked bone proliferation, possibly due to a chronic condition, suggests that possibly the underlying illness was a non-malignant one.

Research paper thumbnail of Protocolos para la recogida de muestras en restos bioantropológicos. El caso del Tolmo de Minateda

ddd.uab.cat

Uno de los logros reconocidos de la antropología como disciplina científica es haber conseguido u... more Uno de los logros reconocidos de la antropología como disciplina científica es haber conseguido unificar los criterios y protocolos de estudio del material antropológico, sobre todo en aspectos de carácter básico y general (Ferembach et al.,1979; Buikstra y Ubelaker,1994; Campillo, 2001, entre otros). Teniendo en cuenta la importancia que han cobrado en los últimos años los análisis de laboratorio, químicos, genéticos, de isótopos, etc. en el estudio de los restos bioantropológicos, consideramos de gran importancia la estandarización en la recogida de las muestras que serán sometidas a estos procedimientos, como un paso indispensable en la validación de los resultados de éstos. Por esta razón hemos planteado la compilación y redacción de unos protocolos básicos que permitan la sistematización de una adecuada recogida de las muestras, facilitando así a los arqueólogos la valoración y el estudio de los materiales bioantropológicos. Estos protocolos tienen como finalidad la creación de un banco de muestras de distintos yacimientos, ya que si bien no siempre los proyectos cuentan con los medios necesarios para realizar todo tipo de análisis, la recogida adecuada de las muestras no implica ninguna dificultad y por el contrario brinda la posibilidad de poder realizar una gran cantidad de análisis en un futuro, permitiendo ampliar la información que se puede obtener del estudio de restos humanos. En este trabajo utilizaremos, a modo de ejemplo, el protocolo seguido en la recogida de muestras del material proveniente del Tolmo de Minateda, Albacete, depositado para su estudio en el Laboratorio de Prehistoria de la Universidad de La Laguna. Aunque en este caso la toma de muestras se realizó exclusivamente en el laboratorio, el ideal sería que el proceso se iniciara directamente en el campo, para disminuir los riesgos de una posible contaminación. En definitiva, nuestra propuesta pretende ser una herramienta más para los arqueólogos en su camino hacia la reconstrucción de los procesos sociales y su impacto sobre los seres humanos, tanto en un plano biológico como cultural.

Research paper thumbnail of A case of calcaneal osteomyelitis from the prehispanic population of El Hierro (Canary Islands)

International Journal of Paleopathology, 2015

A right calcaneus with a deep resorptive lesion surrounded by an osteosclerotic reaction in its l... more A right calcaneus with a deep resorptive lesion surrounded by an osteosclerotic reaction in its lateral aspect was found among intermingled bone remains in a collective burial cave of the island of El Hierro, in the Canary Archipelago. It belonged to an adult prehispanic man, with an estimated antiquity of ≈1000 years BP. The bone shows a penetrating lesion in the lateral aspect slightly superior-anterior to the calcaneal tuberosity, surrounded by a bone rim, and communicating with a large cavity opening cranially where Achilles tendon is inserted. The lesion is suggestive of calcaneal osteomyelitis. The initiating cause was probably a puncture wound, perhaps with a retained foreign body that caused the large abscess. Other infectious and non-infectious etiologic possibilities are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Nociones básicas para la determinación del sexo y la edad en restos bioantropológicos

espanolEn muchas ocasiones los/as arqueologos/as se topan con restos humanos durante las labores ... more espanolEn muchas ocasiones los/as arqueologos/as se topan con restos humanos durante las labores de excavacion. La necesidad de un primer analisis del material, en muchos casos como consecuencia del mal estado de conservacion, hace necesario el conocimiento de unas minimas nociones de los metodos mas utiles para la estimacion de la edad y el sexo en restos esqueleticos. Sin embargo, la escasa formacion del arqueologo/a en temas relacionados con la Antropologia Fisica y la dispersion bibliografica al respecto, hace necesario un conocimiento minimo de los principales metodos para llevar a cabo esta labor. En este sentido, se presenta en este trabajo una guia basica, aunque apoyada en una amplia bibliografia, que permite un primer acercamiento a este tipo de estudios, contribuyendose asi a la formacion interdisciplinar de los/las arqueologos/as. EnglishMany times during excavations archaeologists have to deal with human remains. Their preservation as well as other circumstances can lea...

Research paper thumbnail of Análisis genético y documental de las poblaciones de origen africano en la sociedad canaria del siglo XVIII y su relación con el tráfico de esclavos

espanolEl analisis de los haplotipos de origen subsahariano encontrados en los restos humanos rec... more espanolEl analisis de los haplotipos de origen subsahariano encontrados en los restos humanos recuperados en las excavaciones arqueologicas realizadas en la Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de La Concepcion de Santa Cruz de Tenerife nos permite profundizar en el estudio de la composicion y origen geografico de estas poblaciones en la sociedad canaria del siglo XVIII, y ver su posible relacion con el fenomeno de la esclavitud en la Edad Moderna. En la muestra estudiada se encontro una cierta diversidad de haplotipos de origen africano cuya presencia en el Archipielago puede deberse a distintos procesos historicos, que van desde la colonizacion aborigen hasta la posterior llegada a las islas de poblacion africana, tanto esclava como libre. Los resultados geneticos obtenidos se han comparado con la documentacion publicada sobre los libros de entierros de la Iglesia de la Concepcion de la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII, donde encontramos coincidencias sobre la procedencia de estas poblaciones e...

Research paper thumbnail of Sexual dimorphism: a comparative study between the prehispanic inhabitants from El Hierro and other populations of the world

European journal of anatomy, 2015

Sex estimation based on tibial measurements can be achieved using discriminant functions combinin... more Sex estimation based on tibial measurements can be achieved using discriminant functions combining several parameters. However, functions differ from one population to another, because sexual dimorphism may be more or less marked among different ancestry or ethnic groups. Calculation of one of these functions with the dimensions of populations other than that from which the function was obtained may misclassify a different proportion of males or females than when calculated with the dimensions of the original population. By dividing the proportions of correctly classified individuals when the function was applied to the population from which it derived and that of El Hierro (Canary Islands), we can calculate an index of male trait expression and an index of female trait expression, and, by addition of both indices, an index of sexual dimorphism. Therefore, it is possible to compare the degree of sexual dimorphism among several populations, at least regarding those measurements inclu...

Research paper thumbnail of 16. Use of Molecular Genetic Procedures for Sex Determination in 'Guanches' Children's Remains

Research paper thumbnail of Relationships between bending and torsional strengths of the tibia and simple anthropometric variables among the prehispanic population of El Hierro (Canary Islands)

European journal of anatomy, 2014

Assessment of skeletal robusticity is an important tool for the archaeologist and anthropologist,... more Assessment of skeletal robusticity is an important tool for the archaeologist and anthropologist, since it may be related to the intensity and type of activity performed by ancient population groups. Development of computed tomography (CT) allows determination of biomechanical properties of long bones. However, CT technology may not be easily available and is a relatively expensive procedure. Therefore, it is pertinent to estimate whether any of the parameters which can be easily measured in bare bones by simple anthropometry are useful to assess the torsional strength and bending strength of these bones. We included twenty one well preserved tibiae corresponding to prehispanic adult individuals (13 men) of El Hierro. These bones were anthropometrically measured following classical methods, and also subjected to CT analysis, and further calculation of minimum and maximum second moments and polar second moment of area, both at midshaft and at the nutrient foramen levels, using the so...

Research paper thumbnail of Visión bioantropológica de los efectos del consumo de hojas de coca en las poblaciones indígenas andinas americanas / Bioanthropological view of the effects of coca leafs chewing in the American Andean indigenous populations

En este estudio se expone una revision bibliografica de los efectos biologicos producidos por el ... more En este estudio se expone una revision bibliografica de los efectos biologicos producidos por el continuo mascado de hojas de coca (MHC) —erythroxylon coca y erythroxylon novogranetense— en distintas poblaciones andinas. Dentro de este analisis tambien resulta fundamental destacar el componente cultural de esta practica, valorando, por ejemplo, las representaciones artisticas, la ceramica y los rituales funerarios que hacen una alusion directa o indirecta al mascado. Para complementar esta revision se presentan algunos resultados preliminares del estudio que actualmente se lleva a cabo sobre los restos humanos procedentes de los osarios de epoca tardia (1590-1600 d.e) del yacimiento de Chinchero (Cuzco, Peru). The present study proposes a bibliographical review of the biological effects caused by the continuos coca leaf chewing (erythroxylon coca and erythroxylon novogranetense) in different andean populations. Within this analysis we consider of great importance to emphasize the cu...