Researchers from the University of Lisbon identified an ancient female skeleton bearing a pronounced bone overgrowth in the hip region, the result of a severe injury that likely curbed mobility for an extended period. The finding was reported in the International Journal of Paleopathology. The excavation team was working in Portugal, within the ancient necropolis near the Church of Sant Julian, and the remains were unearthed in 2002 among a burial population that included 106 adults and 45 children who lived between 600 and 200 years ago. The woman stood at about 1.54 meters tall and appears to have lived beyond age 50. Her skeleton was found supine, with hands resting on the pelvis, a coin placed beneath the left forearm, and the head inclined to the right—an index of the careful placement chosen by those who buried her or by the individuals who prepared her after death.
The analysis centered on an 8-centimeter bone growth located at the junction where the pectineus muscle attaches to the femur and pubic bones. No fracture of the femur was detected, which suggests that the abnormality did not originate from a broken bone but rather from a muscle or peri-muscular process that affected the surrounding bone over time. The researchers concluded that the growth most likely stemmed from a muscle injury sustained shortly before death. Such an injury would have caused discomfort and restricted movement for a period ranging from six weeks to as long as a year, depending on healing and rehabilitation factors of the era.
Because the deformity would have limited dynamic actions and the ability to bear heavy loads, the individual may have required assistance from family members or members of her community to manage daily life. This pattern of care hints at social structures within the ancient population that supported disabled or injured members during recovery, even in a time when mobility challenges could severely impact survival. The combination of a lingering musculoskeletal change and the surrounding archaeological context paints a portrait of a person who endured prolonged medical hardship while living within a connected kin-based or communal support system. The finding adds depth to our understanding of injuries, healing, and caregiving in ancient societies, emphasizing how skeletal evidence can illuminate the lived experiences of individuals from the distant past. In the broader field of paleopathology, such cases reveal how non-fatal injuries interacted with daily life, mobility, and social networks, enriching interpretations of health and disease across historical populations. (citation: International Journal of Paleopathology)