Trauma and treatment in the British Isles in the Historic Period • 233 



Figure 2. Oblique fracture to distal left tibia of an Anglo- 

 Saxon individual (8th century a.d.) from Raunds, North- 

 amptonshire. Healing has led to shortened affected limb. 



Figure 3. Radiograph of a Roman (4th century a.d.) indi- 

 vidual from Baldock. Hertfordshire, showing bilateral tibial 

 fractures and sinus in right tibia. 



environment in which the person was living and the type of 

 fracture (simple or compound). 



DEFORMITY. Rotational or linear deformity was recorded as 

 present or absent by comparing with a normal bone. More 

 detailed analyses of deformity could be measured on the 

 radiograph (see below). The presence of a deformity in the 

 fracture once healed may suggest that the fracture was not 

 treated by reduction and splinting. However, the additional 

 complication of fractures of different parts of the body being 

 harder to treat needs to be taken into account here. 



OSTEOARTHROSIS. Degenerative change on joint surfaces of 

 long bones sustaining fractures usually (Kcurs in reaction to 

 stresses placed on the joint caused by deformity of the bone 

 on healing. Again, the presence or absence of this feature 

 was recorded. In addition, the factor of age was also borne in 

 mind. 



ALIGNMENT. The alignment of the fractured bone, once 

 healed, was recorded to indicate how efficiently the fracture 

 was reduced and splinted. Additional factors are as outlined 

 under deformity. 



Fractures to the skull were recorded on a form modified 

 from that used for long bone fractures. The bone affected and 

 fracture position were noted both on the record sheet and in a 

 diagram. Two types of head injury arc commonly identified 

 in human remains: a blunt head injury causing a depressed 

 fracture with or without comminution, or a sharp injury 

 caused by a blade or other sharp object (Figures 4,5). 



Evidence of healing was noted if the wound appeared to 

 have rounded and remodeled edges and the presence or ab- 

 sence of endocranial involvement was recorded. This latter 

 feature would have had severe implications for brain integ- 

 rity. Infection, in the form of periostitic pitting of the bone 

 surface around the fracture site, was documented. The pres- 

 ence of an infection of a compound or open skull fracture 



Zaffreh Paleopathology Symp. 1988 



