Hibernation in hominins from Atapuerca, Spain half a million years ago
Antonis Bartsiokas & Juan Luis Arsuaga 2020
L'Anthropologie 124, 102797 doi org/10.1016/j.anthro.2020.102797

Both animal hibernation & human renal osteodystrophy are characterized by high levels of serum parathyroid hormone PTH.
.... we examined the hominin skeletal collection from Sima de los Huesos (Cave Mayor) for evidence of hyper-PTH, after a thorough review of the literature.
We studied the morphology of the fossilized bones (macro-photography, microscopy, histology, CT scanning) and found, mostly in the adolescents:
trabecular tunneling & osteitis fibrosa, sub-periosteal resorption, ‘rotten fence post’ signs, brown tumours, sub-periosteal new bone, chondro-calcinosis, rachitic osteo-plaques + empty gaps between them, cranio-tabes, beading of ribs.
Many of these lesions are pathognomonic: they suffered annually from renal rickets, secondary hyper-PTH, renal osteodystrophy ass.x CKD-MBD (Chronic Kidney Disease - Mineral & Bone Disorder).
We suggest: these diseases were caused by poorly tolerated hibernation in dark cavernous hibernacula.
This is particularly evidenced by
- the rachitic osteo-plaques + the gaps between them in some of the adolescent individuals,
- the evidence of healing mainly in the adults.
The sub-layers in the rachitic osteo-plaques indicate bouts of arousal from hibernation.
The strong projection of the external lip of the femoral trochlea, the rachitic osteo-plaques + empty gaps between them, the “rotten fence post" sign & the evidence of annual healing also point to annually intermittent puberty.
The hypothesis of hibernation is cons.x the genetic evidence & the fact that the SH hominins lived during an extreme glaciation.
Alternative hypotheses are examined.
The present work will provide a new insight into the physiological mechanism of early human metabolism, which could help in determining the life histories & physiologies of extinct human spp.

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Very interesting article!
These bone collections are some sometimes viewed as natural accumulations. Indeed: alternative hypotheses? Could the seasonal alterations (also, or even exclusively?) result from seasonal trekkings along the river? adult men only?? e.g. following the salmon (me gusta mucho el salmòn)?? cf.vitamin & other dietary fluctuations?? --marc