Animals : an Open Access Journal from MDPI · 2 authors, 2 centres
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Eight pathological animal bones were identified in two Middle Neolithic assemblages (ca 5330–4940 calBC) in Hungary, including linear enamel hypoplasia recognized for the first time in the Hungarian Neolithic. The study integrates these finds within a broader diachronic framework and examines how assemblage size, species composition, and inter-observer differences affect the interpretation of animal palaeopathological data.
This study reports on eight newly identified pathological animal remains from two Middle Neolithic archaeological assemblages in northern and western Hungary, dated to ca 5330–4940 calBC. Pathological lesions were identified based on bone macromorphology and compared to known reference specimens, classified into general disease groups following Baker and Brothwell and Bartosiewicz frameworks. The eight bones showed traumatic lesions, arthropathies, and dental/oral pathologies including linear enamel hypoplasia, first identified in a Neolithic animal in Hungary. When placed within the broader context of Hungarian prehistoric palaeopathological data, the frequency of pathological specimens was found to correlate with assemblage size, though the relationship was slightly degressive (exponent of 0.841 rather than 1). Taxonomic distribution of lesions reflects species composition, and changes in exploitation practices—such as increased animal longevity for secondary product use—affect disease manifestation.
