Porotic Hyperostosis and Cribra Orbitalia in Skeletal Remains from Batujaya, West Java: Evidence from the Buni Pottery Complex Period (1st Century BC - 4th Century AD)

Yasmin Shafitri Zein

Porotic hyperostosis (PH) and cribra orbitalia (CO) are skeletal lesions frequently found in archaeological human remains. This study aims to describe the occurrence of porotic hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia in skeletal remains from the Batujaya site, West Java, Indonesia, dated to the Buni Pottery Complex period (1st century BC - 4th century AD). The lesions were identified through macroscopic observation of cranial remains without assessing their degree of severity. A total of 14 individuals were analysed. The results show that 9 individuals exhibit signs of porotic hyperostosis, while 6 of them also present cribra orbitalia. Previous studies commonly associate these lesions with anaemia, particularly iron deficiency anaemia, which is often related to an unbalanced diet. However, archaeological evidence from Batujaya, including large quantities of fish bones and shell remains, suggests that the population likely had access to abundant marine resources that could provide adequate protein and iron intake, alongside plant-based foods. Therefore, the occurrence of porotic hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia in Batujaya individuals may not be solely related to nutritional deficiencies. Instead, these lesions may reflect physiological stress related to infectious diseases caused by bacteria or parasites. Preliminary interpretations suggest that such infections could have affected the Batujaya population through food consumption, environmental conditions, and intensive interactions with surrounding populations, both locally and more broadly.