ИСТИНА

The vertebral column is a very frequently stressed part of the skeleton. Both degenerative changes and a large number of traumatic injuries were observed in the spines of 119 adults dated to the Bronze Age from Northern Caucasus. These individuals were buried in fourteen kurgan sites dating from 4200 to 2100 BC, located in the steppe region and piedmont area of Northern Caucasus. Only a few previous paleopathological investigations on the life conditions of the people in this area exist. They were supposed to have ridden horses, worked hard physically and been engaged in bronze processing. Some burials included wagons, suggesting that the interred individuals were involved in driving wagons pulled by oxen. Differences between age groups with regards to the degenerative changes of the spine were evident, whereas fractures were distributed more evenly. Arthrosis of the vertebral joints (spondylarthrosis) and vertebral bodies (spondylosis) was visible on all parts of the spine, from cervical to sacral. Herniated vertebral disks were frequently observed, in one case even leading to eburnation of the ground- and endplate of the vertebral bodies. Fractures of vertebral joints as well as vertebral bodies were visible to various degrees. A broken dens axis was detected on the spine of one of the oldest known wagon drivers. Spondylolysis, Schmorl´s nodes and a small amount of inflammatory processes were also observed. The issues addressed include whether wagon drivers had a higher frequency or different patterns of pathological changes of the spine as compared to non-drivers.