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This paper presents an bioarchaeological case study from Shirakavan. The skeletal remains belong to a male aged 40-45 years of age at death, with a stature above the average (177 cm). The presence of a horse skeleton in the discussed burial suggests that the human skeleton may have belonged to a horse rider. At the proximal end of the femur, there are some enthesopathies previously noted as common in horse riders. Analyses revealed a variety of pathologies, allowing inferences about the lifestyle and well-being of individual from Late Iron Age. The male suffered two cranial fractures, in nasal bones and frontal bone. Accidental falls involving facial injury may have contributed to antemortem tooth loss. Fractures ribs in the individual may be the result of direct blows to the chest or/from falling off of a horse. The clavicle injury observed in the individual discussed here can also be caused by a fall. There is degenerative pitting of the body of the neck vertebras indicating disc damage. Several vertebrae were asymmetrical (scoliosis). Perhaps mastoiditis was the leading cause of death at the individual from Shirakavan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study of the bone remains of two female warriors from Jrapi (Shirak Province, Armenia) burial ground (Burial 3) revealed a multiple array of traumatic lesions, which shed light on their daily activities, occupation, and warfare practice. Both women had compressive cranial lesions with the signs of healing. A bronze arrowhead once embedded in the soft tissues of the intercostal space was discovered as well as a canal in the lower epiphysis of the tibia probably left by the broken point of a bronze arrowhead. The women were likely horse riders and archers. The remains unearthed in Burial N 3 belonged to two females who seemed to live as professional warriors and were buried as individuals of rank. This tomb is the third burial discovered in Armenia that provides evidence on female warriors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An individual whose skeleton was exhumed from tomb No. 2 at the Beniamin site showed healed trauma to the right midface, damage to the left frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital bones. We report of presence of osseous bridge on the left side of atlas, connecting posterior part of superior articular process to the posterior arch of atlas. Sulcus vertebrae for third part of vertebral artery over superior aspect of posterior arch of atlas, converted into foramen. This is a retrogressive and morphological phenomenon considered as Kimmerle anomaly. Double foramen transversarium were detected bilaterally in 2 cervical vertebrae (C5, C6). The course of vertebral artery may be distorted under such conditions. Many studies have reported an association between above anomalies (foramen arcuale, foramen transversarium) and neurological symptoms such as vertigo and migraine et all. It can be argued that woman entered a sedentary lifestyle. Her cause of death is likely to be related to severe trauma to the occipital bone during a fall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the most interesting diseases observed in skeletal samples from two necropolises found in Shirak and Lori provinces during archaeological excavations in the last decades and corresponded to Classical/Late Antiquity period (1st century BC - 3rd century AD). The diseases observed were grouped into the following categories: traumas, infections, nutritional diseases, tumors characteristic for group. A relatively low prevalence of fractures suggests a relatively low level of interpersonal violence in this community. Palaeopathology allowed highlighting the spread of some illnesses, many of which can be related to the life and health conditions of the Armenian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]