TY - JOUR

T1 - Shining light on the Mary Rose

T2 - identifying chemical differences in human aging and handedness in the clavicles of sailors using Raman spectroscopy

AU - Shankland, Sheona

AU - Hildred, Alexzandra

AU - Taylor, Adam

AU - Kerns, Jemma

PY - 2024/10/30

Y1 - 2024/10/30

N2 - The Mary Rose, for many years the flagship of the Tudor king, Henry VIII, sank during the battle of the Solent on the 19th July 1545. 437 years later, the remains of the hull and associated contents were recovered following a four-year excavation, all dated to a precise point in history. The assemblage is a valuable resource, as the environment preserved over 19,000 objects and the remains of a minimum of 179 crew members. This remarkable preservation allows for the crew of the Mary Rose to be studied holistically; their belongings, appearance, and even their health. Using Raman spectroscopy, this study investigated the clavicle bone chemistry of 12 men, aged 13–40, who died on the Mary Rose. Specifically looking at any changes with age or that could be linked to handedness. Results found that bone mineral increased with age and bone protein decreased. The mineral increase was found to be more substantial than the protein decrease. When the left and right side were considered, these findings maintained and were more pronounced in the right clavicle. This suggests that handedness influences clavicle bone chemistry; offering an important modern consideration for fracture risk. These results enhance our understanding of the lives of Tudor sailors, but also contribute to modern scientific investigation in the drive for a clearer understanding of changes in bone chemistry and potential links to aging related skeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis.

AB - The Mary Rose, for many years the flagship of the Tudor king, Henry VIII, sank during the battle of the Solent on the 19th July 1545. 437 years later, the remains of the hull and associated contents were recovered following a four-year excavation, all dated to a precise point in history. The assemblage is a valuable resource, as the environment preserved over 19,000 objects and the remains of a minimum of 179 crew members. This remarkable preservation allows for the crew of the Mary Rose to be studied holistically; their belongings, appearance, and even their health. Using Raman spectroscopy, this study investigated the clavicle bone chemistry of 12 men, aged 13–40, who died on the Mary Rose. Specifically looking at any changes with age or that could be linked to handedness. Results found that bone mineral increased with age and bone protein decreased. The mineral increase was found to be more substantial than the protein decrease. When the left and right side were considered, these findings maintained and were more pronounced in the right clavicle. This suggests that handedness influences clavicle bone chemistry; offering an important modern consideration for fracture risk. These results enhance our understanding of the lives of Tudor sailors, but also contribute to modern scientific investigation in the drive for a clearer understanding of changes in bone chemistry and potential links to aging related skeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Aging/physiology

KW - Bone Density

KW - Clavicle/physiology

KW - Functional Laterality/physiology

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Military Personnel

KW - Spectrum Analysis, Raman/methods

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0311717

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0311717

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 39475986

VL - 19

SP - e0311717

JO - PLoS ONE

JF - PLoS ONE

SN - 1932-6203

IS - 10

ER -