A case of dwarfism in 6th century Italy: Bioarchaeological assessment of a hereditary disorder

Objective: The skeletal remains of a short-statured individual (T17) are described and a differential diagnosis performed to determine the etiology of the condition. Materials: An individual considered pathologically short in stature was discovered in the burial site of Piazza XX Settembre, Modena (northern Italy). Methods: Morphological and morphometric analyses were performed, and T17 was compared to dwarfs from other localities and periods and to the adult female population from the same site. A paleopathological survey was undertaken to assess the degree of the skeletal elements of T17 were affected. Results: T17 was a female, 20–30 years of age at death, with a stature of 128 cm and disproportionate dwarfism associated with congenital skeletal dysplasia. Conclusions: T17 likely affected by a form of hypochondroplasia. Significance: Anatomical consequences of hypochondroplasia are presented, and the timeframe and associated burial goods suggest a 6th-century Lombard short stature belonging to one of the earliest Lombard settlements in Italy. Suggestions for further research: Future genetic analysis would resolve if the mutation in the type 3 fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR3) is present in the remains of T17; however, it is not exclusivly linked to hypochondroplasia.