What can you learn from ancient skeletons? - Farnaz Khatibi

譯者: Emily Hung 審譯者: Helen Chang

Between 2008 and 2012,

在 2008 到 2012 年之間

archeologists excavated the rubble of an ancient hospital in England.

考古學家在英國發掘出 一間舊醫院的瓦礫

In the process, they uncovered a number of skeletons.

在這個過程中，他們發現了一些骨骸

One in particular belonged to a wealthy male

其中之一屬於一位富有的男性

who lived in the 11th or 12th century

他生活在 11 或 12 世紀

and died of leprosy between the ages of 18 and 25.

在 18 至 25 歲時，死於痲瘋病

How do we know all this?

我們是怎麼知道的呢？

Simply by examining some old, soil-caked bones?

僅僅通過檢查一些古老的 被土壤包住的骨頭嗎？

Even centuries after death,

即使已經死了好幾個世紀

skeletons carry unique features that tell us about their identities.

骨骸仍透露出當事者獨一無二的身分

And using modern tools and techniques, we can read those features as clues.

通過最新的工具與技術 骨骸的特徵為我們提供線索

This is a branch of science known as biological anthropology.

這門科學分支被稱為「生物人類學」

It allows researchers to piece together details about ancient individuals

讓研究人員拼湊起關於當事者的資訊

and identify historical events that affected whole populations.

並鑑定出使人口變動的歷史性事件

When researchers uncover a skeleton,

當研究人員發現了一副骨架時

some of the first clues they gather, like age and gender,

他們得到的第一手線索 比如年齡和性別

lie in its morphology,

就陳列在骨架的形態中

which is the structure, appearance, and size of a skeleton.

像是骨骸的結構、外觀和尺寸

Bones, like the clavicle, stop growing at age 25,

骨頭，比如鎖骨 25 歲後就不再長了

so a skeleton with a clavicle that hasn't fully formed

所以還沒長全的鎖骨的骨架

must be younger than that.

肯定小於 25 歲

Similarly, the plates in the cranium can continue fusing up to age 40,

同理，直到 40 歲為止 頭蓋骨都可能融合

and sometimes beyond.

有時候會持續到超過 40 歲

By combining these with some microscopic skeletal clues,

把這些跟用顯微鏡觀察到的 骨骼線索綜合起來

physical anthropologists can estimate an approximate age of death.

人體人類學家可以推斷 大概是幾歲去世的

Meanwhile, pelvic bones reveal gender.

同時，骨盆揭露出性別

Biologically, female pelvises are wider, allowing women to give birth,

生理上來說，女性的 骨盆要寬些才能生育

where as males are narrower.

而男性的盆骨要窄些

Bones also betray the signs of ancient disease.

骨骼也透露出古老頑疾的病徵

Disorders like anemia leave their traces on the bones.

身體失調，比如貧血 會在骨骼中留下痕跡

And the condition of teeth can reveal clues

牙齒的狀態也有跡可循

to factors like diet and malnutrition,

比如飲食習慣和營養不良

which sometimes correlate with wealth or poverty.

這跟貧富狀態有時候是相互關聯的

A protein called collagen can give us even more profound details.

被稱為膠原蛋白的蛋白質甚至 可以提供更深層的局部細節

The air we breathe,

我們呼吸的空氣

water we drink,

喝的水

and food we eat

吃的食物

leaves permanent traces in our bones and teeth

在我們的骨骼和牙齒中

in the form of chemical compounds.

以化合物的形式，留下了永久的痕跡

These compounds contain measurable quantities called isotopes.

這些化合物包含了 可數的量，叫做同位素

Stable isotopes in bone collagen and tooth enamel varies among mammals

骨骼的膠原蛋白和牙齒琺瑯質裡的 穩定性同位素因哺乳動物而異

dependent on where they lived and what they ate.

是取決於他們住的地方和吃的食物

So by analyzing these isotopes,

所以通過分析這些同位素

we can draw direct inferences regarding the diet and location of historic people.

我們能直接推斷歷史上人類的 日常飲食習慣與分佈地域

Not only that, but during life,

不僅如此，在一生中

bones undergo a constant cycle of remodeling.

骨骼不斷地改造重新塑形

So if someone moves from one place to another,

所以如果有人從甲地搬到乙地

bones synthesized after that move

在遷居之後所合成的骨骼

will also reflect the new isotopic signatures of the surrounding environment.

也會反映出跟周圍環境 相關的新的同位素特徵

That means that skeletons can be used like migratory maps.

這說明骨骼可以用來當做遷移地圖

For instance, between 1-650 AD,

例如在公元元年到 650 年之間

the great city of Teotihuacan in Mexico bustled with thousands of people.

有個叫特奥蒂瓦坎的墨西哥大城 車水馬龍住著幾千個人

Researchers examined the isotope ratios in skeletons' tooth enamel,

研究人員檢查了在遺骸中 牙齒琺瑯質的同位素比例

which held details of their diets when they were young.

當中透露出他們年輕時的日常飲食

They found evidence for significant migration into the city.

研究人員發現了大舉遷徒進城的證據

A majority of the individuals were born elsewhere.

一大部分的人是在別的地方出生的

With further geological and skeletal analysis,

經過更進一步的地質與骨骼分析

they may be able to map where those people came from.

他們也許可以勘測 繪製出這些人從哪來的

That work in Teotihuacan is also an example of how bio-anthropologists

在特奥蒂瓦坎的挖掘工程 也可以作為生物人類學家

study skeletons in cemeteries and mass graves,

如何研究在墓園 和千人塚裡的遺骸的範例

then analyze their similarities and differences.

並且分析其中的異同

From that information, they can learn about cultural beliefs,

從那些資訊中可以一探究竟文化信仰

social norms,

社會基準規範

wars,

打仗戰爭

and what caused their deaths.

還有人們的死因

Today, we use these tools to answer big questions about how forces,

現今，我們用這些方法 來追蹤核心問題

like migration and disease,

比如遷移和疾病

shape the modern world.

是怎麼一路塑造推動近代世界的發展

DNA analysis is even possible in some relatively well-preserved ancient remains.

一些保存較好的古遺骨甚至可以 使用 DNA（去氧核糖核酸）分析

That's helping us understand how diseases like tuberculosis

這幫助我們了解比如像肺結核的疾病

have evolved over the centuries

這幾世紀來是如何逐步發展的

so we can build better treatments for people today.

因此我們才能為今日的人們 打造更完善的療法

Ancient skeletons can tell us a surprisingly great deal about the past.

古遺骸意外的可以告訴 我們許多關於過去的種種

So if your remains are someday buried intact,

所以某天如果你的遺骨被完整地安葬

what might archeologists of the distant future learn from them?

在遙遠的未來的考古學家又會 從你的骨骸中學到什麼呢