Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons^™

Testing The Iron Deficiency Anemia Hypothesis Using P-Xrf, Eduardo Maya

McNair Scholars

One controversy within the field of bioarchaeology revolves around theories that describe what environmental factors and illnesses could be causing cribra orbitalia (CO) and porotic hyperostosis (PH). These two pathological conditions, which are identified by porosities on the human cranium, are used by bioarchaeologists to estimate the health of archaeological remains. In the past, iron deficiency anemia (IDA) was widely believed to be causing these conditions. A range of factors, such as parasitic infections and lack of iron through dietary consumption, cause IDA. Because of the hypothesis connecting CO and PH to IDA, archaeological remains with visible porosities have had …