Abstract
In my dissertation I examined the development of the bilateral asymmetry of the upper and lower limb long bones in nonadult skeletal remains from the Bátmonostor-Pusztafalu site which has been dated to the 14-16th century AD. Examining the averages of the long bone measurements of the upper extremity, the growth of the nonadult skeletons from this site was approximately the same as the sample chosen as a standard, thus they proved to be suitable for the purpose of investigating bilateral asymmetry. In the case of the upper limb, bilateral asymmetry was not present at birth. In older age groups, however, it developed gradually. Based on the time of appearance of bilateral asymmetry, the development of its direction and the change in its magnitude with age I drew conclusions about the lifestyle of the examined children and their relationship with their environment. They probably already participated in farming and handicraft work at the age of 7-8, and the physical activities performed during this influenced the long bones of their upper limbs through the loading of the dominant arm, which was manifested in directional asymmetry shifting to the right. The directional asymmetry of the femur showed a shift to the right side with age, and then to the left side in older age groups; thus crossed symmetry pattern could be observed. In the case of the tibia, I obtained partially opposite results to the femur. Shifting to the right in asymmetry was more common, but as age progressed, the differences between the right and left sides levelled off, just like in the case of the femur. As bipedal walking exerts an equal mechanical effect on the lower limb on both sides, asymmetry is less pronounced in the period of postnatal life from birth to adolescence. The bioarchaeological study of limb bone bilateral asymmetry of nonadult skeletons gave me the opportunity to contribute to the biological reconstruction of the findings from the Bátmonostor-Pusztafalu cemetery.
Publisher
Anthropologiai Kozlemenyek
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