2025 Research in the Capitol

Presentation Type

Open Access Poster Presentation

Abstract

The study of entheseal changes (EC) has a lengthy history within biological anthropology, aiding in the reconstruction of habitual activities, lifestyles, and physiological stress experienced by past populations. However, most existing research has focused on postcranial entheses, leaving cranial entheses largely unexplored. This study aims to apply the Coimbra Method, a recent and standardized scoring system, to analyze cranial entheses and investigate the relationship between age, sex, and entheseal changes. By observing and scoring entheses associated with the insertions of five cranial muscles, this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of skeletal plasticity in response to mechanical stress. The findings are expected to provide new insights into cranial musculoskeletal adaptations and expand the applicability of the Coimbra Method beyond postcranial sites. Ultimately, this research has the potential to enhance anthropological reconstructions of behavior and biomechanics, offering a more comprehensive approach to the study of EC in the human skeleton.

Start Date

31-3-2025 11:30 AM

End Date

31-3-2025 1:30 PM

Event Host

University Honors Programs, Iowa Regent Universities

Faculty Advisor

Tyler O'Brien

Department

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology

File Format

application/pdf

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Mar 31st, 11:30 AM Mar 31st, 1:30 PM

A New Application of the Coimbra Method for Cranial Entheseal Changes

The study of entheseal changes (EC) has a lengthy history within biological anthropology, aiding in the reconstruction of habitual activities, lifestyles, and physiological stress experienced by past populations. However, most existing research has focused on postcranial entheses, leaving cranial entheses largely unexplored. This study aims to apply the Coimbra Method, a recent and standardized scoring system, to analyze cranial entheses and investigate the relationship between age, sex, and entheseal changes. By observing and scoring entheses associated with the insertions of five cranial muscles, this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of skeletal plasticity in response to mechanical stress. The findings are expected to provide new insights into cranial musculoskeletal adaptations and expand the applicability of the Coimbra Method beyond postcranial sites. Ultimately, this research has the potential to enhance anthropological reconstructions of behavior and biomechanics, offering a more comprehensive approach to the study of EC in the human skeleton.