Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Clio90808 t1_j7uxq5m wrote

well if this is correct, it is a huge discovery as afaik syphilis hasn't been verified in Europe this early. see link on history of syphilis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_syphilis

41

Mechanisedlifeform t1_j7vmxjk wrote

From your link:

>In the Apple Down cemetery in West Sussex, UK archaeologists uncovered the skeleton of a young man with extensive damage to both his skull and long bones, a combination typical of syphilis. He died in the sixth century AD. Ref 16 - Cole, G. and T. Waldron (2011) “Apple Down 152: a putative case of syphilis from sixth century AD Anglo-Saxon England.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology Jan;144(1):72-9. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.21371. Epub 2010 Aug 18. PMID 20721939.

19

johnn48 t1_j7xbx7h wrote

It would definitely call into question that it was brought to Europe by Columbus and his crews. I had always been told that syphilis was a New World disease. It’s sounding like it was more a case of being endemic and not recognized.

11

Billy1121 t1_j7xk01c wrote

They often hypothesized that it was related to yaws, another new world spirochete. But syphilis could have been one of those diseases lumped in with leprosy and such. Poorly understood

7

rbk12spb t1_j7zy84s wrote

I think that was debunked. Syphilis is actually present in all regions, and previously spread throughout eurasia.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3956094/#:~:text=Throughout%20the%20centuries%2C%20syphilis%20has,prevention%20programs%20control%20the%20disease.

I learned a bit reading here. It was more mild according to that write-up, but evolved to become more brutal. Interesting point, it mentions that in Europe it was mistaken for leprosy, so she may have decided to be sealed in due to the similarities in her condition. Hard to say.

4