Sex-Based Differences in Mortality and Metabolic Disease in Subadult Skeletal Assemblages of Tell Hisban

Abstract

Heterogeneity in morbidity and mortality risk results from various underlying host-level and societal factors. Identifying these risk factors in ancient communities is often hindered by the invisibility of some variables in the archaeological record and the methodological limitations of skeletal analysis. These both have impacted the complete understanding of the causes of infant mortality in the 19th century AD at the site of Hisban, Jordan, particularly the effects of sex on the risk of dying with active metabolic disease. This project uses dental proteomics to estimate the sex of 16 infants (up to 3 years of age) dying with (n=10) and without (n=6) skeletal lesions indicative of vitamin C deficiency, in addition to 8 modern control samples of known sex. Identification of sexually dimorphic amelogenin proteins (AMELY and AMLEX) can indicate the biological sex of the infant, which, in this cultural and temporal context, may align with their gender identity. With this information, we have been able to determine that more males than females (2:1) were found to have died overall, regardless of whether they showed signs of active scurvy or not, indicating there is no evidence of a sex-based mortality risk for those with indicators of active scurvy at the time of death. However, male infants, in general, had a higher mortality risk than female infants. These results inform future analysis of these infants' diet and weaning patterns using incremental [delta]13C and [delta]15N analysis of dentin. Since metabolic diseases are closely tied to diet and socio-cultural practices, this project was an excellent opportunity to understand this community's biological and social determinants of infant morbidity and mortality.