AI Article Synopsis
- Auditory exostoses are bone growths in the outer ear canal, often found in people who engage in water sports, linked to exposure to cold water and winds.
- The study analyzed 621 ancient human skulls from a marine-dependent population in Brazil, revealing a 22% overall occurrence of these anomalies, with variations from 0% to 56% across different subgroups.
- The researchers suggest further investigation into these findings could uncover valuable insights into the health and lifestyle of past populations, encouraging interdisciplinary studies in archaeology.
Article Abstract
Auditory exostoses are bone anomalies located on the floor of the external auditory canal. They frequently develop in individuals who participate in water sports and other aquatic activities. Their etiology is probably multifactorial; development seems to be triggered by regular exposure to cold water as well as to low air temperatures and/or cold winds. The presence ofauditory exostoses has been recorded in human skull fossils that date back approximately 250,000 years. We conducted a study of auditory exostoses in 621 skulls of adult humans who had been part of a marine-dependent population that lived on the Brazilian coast between 5400 and 800 years ago. The overall frequency of exostoses was 22%, but there was a great variance among different subgroups (0 to 56%). In this article, we propose some possible explanations for this variance. We also hope that our study will stimulate multidisciplinary research aimed at deciphering the intricate bony messages contained in cryptic archaeologic remains.
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