Transcript Arseniasis

Arseniasis as an environmental hypothetical
explanation for the origin of the oldest artificial
mummification practice in the world.
Bernardo Arriaza, Ph.D.
Universidad de Tarapacá
Departamento de Antropología
Centro de Investigación del Hombre en el Desierto
Arica-Chile
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South America, Brazil, July 27-29, 2005
What is unique to Camarones?
Oldest artificial mummification in the world
• Oldest mummies are infants
•
What is unique to Camarones?
•
Very high contents of arsenic in the
natural water system (1000µg/L) and
high level in the food
•
Camarones arsenic level in the water
is 100 times higher than accepted
WHO recommendations
WHO accepted arsenic level in the water is
10µg/L
Area
Arsenic level
Lluta
200µg/L
Times
above the
norm
20
Camarones 1000µg/L
100
Antofagasta 30-40µg/L
3-4
Valparaíso
<1µg/L
Normal
Camarones water quality
Village
Source of water
Camarones
River
Arsenic concentration
(µg/L)
1000
Taltape
River
1000
Esquiña
River
750
Huancarane
River
750
Illapata
River
1300
Esquiña
Water spring
75
Huancarane
Water spring
75
Illapata
Water spring
50
Taken from: Cornejo 2004
750µg/L
1300µg/L
1000µg/L
Taken from: Cornejo 2004
Levels of arsenic in the body of modern
Camarones people
Taken from: Cornejo 2004
Lab data
 Arsenite is more potent than arsenate (Hood 1972)
 But arsenate is converted to arsenite in the body
by glutathione during biomethylation in the human
body (Nemec et al. 1998)
Nemec MD, Holson JF, Farr CH, et al. (1998). Developmental toxicity assessment
of arsenic acid in mice and rabbits. Reprod Toxicol. 12:647–658
Hood RD. (1972). Teratogenic effects of sodium arsenate in mice. Arch Environ Health. 24:62– 65
Is there a connection between
arsenic intake and artificial
mummification?
You betcha!
It is hypothesized here that arseniasis triggered
artificial mummification
Why?
Arsenic poisoning produces:
 Hyperpigmentation of
the skin and nails
 Keratosis
 Carcinoma of the
 Anemia
liver and urinary bladder
Taken from:
http://www.ecplanet.com/pic/2003/04/1051353968/arsenico.jpg
Taken from:
http://www.sos-arsenic-net/images/feet1.jpg
Hyperpigmentation
Taken from:
http://dermis.multimedica.de/doia/image.asp?zugr=d&lang=s&cd=43&nr=40&diagnr=757335
Taken from: http://www.pathology.vcu.edu/research/paleo/case2.html
Presence of Mees lines, after 3 months of arsenic poisoning
Taken from:
http://www.estrucplan.com.ar/Producciones/entrega.asp?IdEntrega=37
More important yet, arseniasis produces
severe consequences in mothers and
children






Premature births
Stillbirths
Low birth weight
Spontaneous abortions
High infant mortality
Systemic organ damage and low red blood cell
production
After: Milton 2005, Hopenhayn 2003
Definitions
Spontaneous abortion: a natural failure of pregnancy
of less than 28 weeks of gestation.
 Stillbirths: any delivery after 28 weeks of gestation that
did not show any evidence of breathing or signs of life.
 Neonatal death: the death of the newborn within 28
days after birth.

After Dutta DC. (1994)Textbook of Obstetrics Including Perinatology and
Contraception, 3rd ed. Kolkata, India:New Central Book Agency P Ltd;
p. 618.
Unfortunately…
 Arseniasis in children often goes unnoticed
 Adult arsenic poisoning has received more attention due to
the chronic nature of the lesions
 In Bangladesh, tube wells to reduce cholera and diarrhea now
produce arseniasis
Field data



Ahmad et al. (2001) Reported that Bangladesh women of
reproductive age that were drinking water with 100 µg/L of arsenic,
had spontaneous abortion rates nearly three times greater than
normal ( N= 192).
These exposed women had more than double the rates of
stillbirths and preterm births compared to their unexposed
counterparts.
Women exposed to arsenic for more than 15 years, had a rate
about five times greater than unexposed individuals.
THEN
 Assuming a linear correlation between level of poisoning and
health consequences, extrapolating the Bangladesh spontaneous
abortion rate, and the 1000µg/L of arsenic at Camarones, then
Chinchorro women likely had rates 30 times higher for
spontaneous abortion, stillbirths and preterm births than a normal
population.
Adverse pregnancy outcomes as a consequence of drinking
contaminated water with arsenic levels greater than 100µg/L in
Bangladesh (Samta Village) for 1,000 live birth
Group
Spontaneous abortions
Stillbirth
Preterm birth
Nonexposed
23.7
23.7
27.1
Exposed
68.8
53.1
68.8
Rate
2.9
2.2
2.5
Years of exposure
Spontaneous abortions
Stillbirth
Preterm birth
Less than 15 years
43.5
43.5
47.8
More than 15 years
133.3
77.5
122.2
3.1
1.8
2.6
Spontaneous abortions
Stillbirth
Preterm birth
Nonexposed
23.7
23.7
27.1
More than 15 years
133.3
77.5
122.2
5.6
3.2
4.5
Rate
Years of exposure
Rate
 “There are few reports about the effect of
arseniasis in drinking water on human
pregnancy outcomes”
Akhtar Ahmad 2001
Camarones site reported by Schiappacasse
and Niemeyer (1984)
 Twenty-three inhumations were discovered and exhumed
 Six inhumations were under 4 years of age and
artificial mummification
five had
Camarones 14: anthropogenic burials
(Schiappacase and Niemeyer, 1984:85-105)
Burial Nº
Age
Wig
Clay mask
Longitudinal
sticks
8
1 year
-
Yes
Yes
9
2 years
Yes
Yes
-
13
2 months
-
Yes
Yes
21
4 years
Yes
Yes
Yes
22
Newborn
Yes
-
Yes
14C
in YBP
7000+135
Camarones 17:
(Arriaza, Aufderheide and Muñoz 1993:115-118)
Age
Sex
Clay
mask
Others
1
39-40 years
Female
No
Natural
mummification
-
2
9 months
Unknown
Yes
Artificial
mummification
-
3
Newborn
Unknown
Yes
Artificial
mummification
6780+110
4
Newborn
Unknown
Yes
Artificial
mummification
6930+140
Burial Nº
14C
in YBP
Camarones 14 has high infant mortality.
Schiappacase and Niemeyer (1984) suggested
infanticide (p. 171 and 179)
A better explanation is arseniasis
They estimated birth and mortality rates 45.1 (per
one thousand)
The proposed model
High arsenic
content in the
environment
(in water and
riverine
resources)
High rates of:
•Stillbirths
•Premature birth
•Abortion
•Infant mortality
Artificial mummification
assuaged community grief:
People like what they see
All ages undergo mummification
Personal and social
grief:
Intentional preservation
of infants began at Cam
14
Mummification spread to
surrounding areas and
became more elaborated
and popular
Main factors triggering Chinchorro
artificial mummification practices
Environmental
Ideological
(Arsenic and dry environment)
(After life)
Health
Emotional
(neonatal dead)
(parental grief)
Visit:
www.momiaschinchorro.com
Literature cited
☼ S. Akhtar Ahmad, M.H. Salim Ullah Sayed, Shampa Barua, Manzurul Haque Khan, M.H. Faruquee, Abdul Jalil, S.
Abdul Hadi, and Humayun Kabir Talukder. Arsenic in Drinking Water and Pregnancy Outcomes (2001).
Environmental Health Perspectives Vol 109 (6): 629=631
☼ Abul Hasnat Milton, Wayne Smith, Bayzidur Rahman, Ziaul Hasan, Umme Kulsum, Keith Dear, M. Rakibuddin, and
Azahar Ali (2005) Chronic Arsenic Exposure and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Bangladesh. Epidemiology
Volume 16(1):82=86)
☼ Claudia Hopenhayn, Catterina Ferreccio, Steven R. Browning, Bin Huang, Cecilia Peralta, Herman Gibb, and Irva
Hertz-Picciotto (2003) Arsenic Exposure from Drinking Water and Birth Weight. Epidemiology 14: 593–602
☼ Dutta DC. (1994) Textbook of Obstetrics Including Perinatology and Contraception, 3rd ed. Kolkata, India:New
Central Book Agency P Ltd; 1994;618
☼ Nemec MD, Holson JF, Farr CH, et al. Developmental toxicity assessment of arsenic acid in mice and rabbits.
Reprod Toxicol. 1998;12:647–658 Hood RD. Teratogenic effects of sodium arsenate in mice. Arch Environ Health.
1972;24:62– 65
☼ Schiappacasse and Niemeyer (1984). Descripción y Análisis interpretativo de un sitio arcaico temprano en la
quebrada de Camarones. Publicada Ocasional Nro. 41.
☼ Lorena Cornejo 2004. http://www.cnea.gov.ar/xxi/ambiental/agua-pura/presentacionesencuentro/presentación%20proyecto%20oea%20lorena%20en%20buenos%20aires2.pdf
☼ http://www.ecplanet.com/pic/2003/04/1051353968/arsenico.jpg
☼ http://www.sos-arsenic-net/images/feet1.jpg
☼ http://dermis.multimedica.de/doia/image.asp?zugr=d&lang=s&cd=43&nr=40&diagnr=757335
☼ http://www.estrucplan.com.ar/Producciones/entrega.asp?IdEntrega=37