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Bioarchaeology of Care in Tzintzuntzan, Western Mexico: A Multimethod Approach
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 December 2025
Abstract
Chronic otitis and mastoiditis are inflammatory processes that can lead to deafness and disability if left untreated, especially in the pre-antibiotic era and in fishing communities with high exposure to infection. This study describes lesions on temporal bones found in Tzintzuntzan, a prehispanic city located near Lake Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, in western Mexico. A multidisciplinary team analyzed a sample (N = 96) of temporal bones using morphoscopic analysis, multidetector CT scanning, and 2D and 3D virtual reconstruction. All evaluations were double-blinded using a previously standardized process and a validated questionnaire. The combination of multiple methodologies and a multidisciplinary team of evaluators improved the likelihood of classifying lesions. Nearly one-third of the lesions (31.25%) are compatible with the diagnoses of chronic otitis and mastoiditis. The frequency of these lesions is high in fishing communities such as in the city of Tzintzuntzan, possibly leading to significant hearing impairment among the population and affecting individuals’ abilities to perform essential aquatic activities.
Resumen
La otitis crónica y la mastoiditis son procesos inflamatorios que pueden provocar sordera y discapacidad si no son tratados, especialmente ante de la aparición de los antibióticos, y en las comunidades pesqueras con alta exposición a la infección. En este estudio se describen lesiones en huesos temporales encontradas en Tzintzuntzan, una ciudad prehispánica cerca al lago de Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, en el Occidente de México. Una muestra (N = 96) de huesos temporales fue analizada por un equipo multidisciplinar (antropólogos físicos, arqueólogo, neurocirujano y radiólogos), utilizando diferentes metodologías: análisis de morfoscopia, tomografía computarizada multidetector (TCMD) y reconstrucción virtual 2D y 3D. Todas las evaluaciones fueron doble ciego con un proceso previamente estandarizado utilizando un cuestionario validado. La mayoría de las lesiones observadas por todos los métodos (31.25%) son compatibles con los diagnósticos de otitis crónica y mastoiditis, que podrían producir disminución de la audición. La combinación de múltiples metodologías y un equipo multidisciplinario de evaluadores mejoró la probabilidad de clasificación de las lesiones. La frecuencia de estas lesiones es alta en comunidades de pescadores como las hubo en la ciudad de Tzintzuntzan, lo que posiblemente conduzca a una discapacidad auditiva significativa en estas comunidades, afectando la capacidad de los individuos para realizar las actividades acuáticas necesarias.
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- © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for American Archaeology.
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Peláez-Ballestas et al. supplementary material 1
Supplemental Figure 1. Descriptive Sample.
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Supplemental Table 1. Primera evaluación (3 antropólogos físicos) Macroscópico
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Supplemental Text 1. Questionnaire for the Evaluation of Temporal Bones.
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