Custom essays on Research on Vertebrae

Description
The vertebra found is one of 33 vertebrae comprising the spine of a human being. The bone is irregularly shaped. The vertebra has a hole in the middle through which the spinal cord runs (Frietson, 22). The spinal cord can be divided into five different regions from top to bottom (Pauketat, 82):
• Human 7 cervical vertebrae support the head and neck and allow an individual to nod and shake the head
• Ribs attach to 12 thoracic vertebrae
• Five sturdy lumbar vertebrae carry most of the weight of human upper body and provide a stable centre of gravity when the move
• Sacrum is made up of five fused vertebrae. It makes up the back wall of human pelvis
• Coccyx is made up of four fused vertebrae. It is an evolutionary remnant of the tail found in most other vertebrates
The vertebra found is the coccyx vertebra which used to be fused and closely linked to three more vertebrae. However, the researchers cannot always find absolutely all bones and some bones may simply lack as is the case of three vertebrae, while only one vertebra was found. Nevertheless, it does not necessarily mean that the found vertebra is useless. In stark contrast, the vertebra helps the researcher to identify the place where other bones can be found. Moreover, the vertebra can lead to the discovery of other artifacts, which are not necessarily bones. In this respect, it is important to lay emphasis on the fact that human vertebra may be found in places where people lived. Therefore, the further excavation can reveal the place where people lived. In such a way, archeologists can learn the traditional lifestyle and environment of people, whose bones are found.
Furthermore, the vertebra helps archeologists to reconstruct the history in terms of the definition of the way the human died. In addition, the bone can help archeologists to define the lifestyle of the individual, his or her occupation and activities, especially if there are traces on the bone. For instance, numerous cuts on the bone indicate to the high activity of an individual and his or her involvement in some violent actions.
The description of the vertebra should be documented carefully. In this regard, the use of photos or video is not enough. Archeologists should record every their step. Whatever they do to the bone, they should make notes in their logs or PCs. In such a way, they can conduct the research in depth and provide the detailed information about the artifact and the process of its excavation. As a result, in case of some problems with the analysis of the spot, where the bone was found, the records can be used to restore the environment. Moreover, the recording is essential for a scientific research because it helps archeologists to obtained detailed information about the spot and to understand better conditions of living as well as causes of death of found individual or individuals. In addition, the vertebra can help archeologists to find out the reason of death as well as health problems an individual head.
Spinal Disease
In this respect, it is important to lay emphasis on the fact that the vertebra can reveal such health problems of an individual as the spinal disease. The spinal disease is any pathology which affects the spinal column and/or the spinal cord and spinal nerves which are contained therein (Pauketat, 75). Basically, if an individual deceased had any spinal health problems, they can be revealed through the detailed study of the vertebra, including the use of modern equipment, X-ray, scanners, and other tools.
At the same time, it is important to understand that the spine disease is a large area of study because of the large number of diseases which can affect the spinal system, from purely skeletal disorders to primary nervous system disorders (Frietson, 25). In this respect, the complexity of the disease is very important because it indicates to the age of an individual, the state of his or her health. Moreover, bones can even help to define the level of the development of technology and medicine because, if any surgeries or attempts of surgeries were undertaken, archeologists can conclude whether the civilization has reached a high level of development of science and medicine or not.
Naturally, in such a situation, the study of spinal disease can help researchers to understand key problems the individual had in regard to his or her health. All types of spine disease can present with either or both spinal symptoms or neurological symptoms associated with injury or compression of the spinal cord or spinal nerves. Spine disease is very common, with many people undergoing spinal surgery every day (Wylie, 115). However, the spinal surgery is practically unthinkable in regard to findings of remnants of human bodies, whose age date back to the distant past. In fact, the level of development of technologies in the past was too low to conduct such surgeries. Even today such surgeries are very complicated to accomplish successfully.
What do you think about the ways that archaeologists reconstruct the ancient world from the objects they study?
In actuality, excavating and studying artifacts is one of the most efficient ways to study the past. With the help of excavation of bones and the study of the spot, archeologists can reconstruct the past. To put it more precisely, they can identify the gender, age and even a social standing of an individual, whose bone is found. In addition, they can carry on excavations and find other important artifacts that will uncover the mystery of the death of an individual as well as conditions in which he or she lived.
Furthermore, the study and reconstruction of environment in which the objects, such as bones, are found help researchers to focus on the study of cultures of the past and conditions of living of people in the past. On the other hand, the information may be scarce and archeologists cannot always suggests the hypothesis which meets the real life of people, who died decades, hundreds or even thousands years ago. In such a way, archeologists can obtain valuable information from reconstructing objects, such as the human vertebra. As a result, when objects are accumulated and archeologists study them, they can gather and summarize their findings to make definite conclusions on the life of people in the past.

Works Cited
Frietson, G. “Why do almost all mammals have seven cervical vertebrae? Developmental constraints, Hox genes and Cancer.” Journal of experimental zoology 285, 1999, 19-26.
Pauketat, T. R. “Practice and History in Archaeology: An Emerging Paradigm”, Anthropological Theory, 1, 2001, 73–98,
Wylie, A. Thinking from things: essays in the philosophy of archaeology. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002.