Skeletal Dysplasia During the Bronze Age in Northeast Thailand (3000–2500 BP)

ABSTRACT This study examines a case of skeletal dysplasia in an adult male (B290) from the Bronze Age at the site of Ban Non Wat, Northeast Thailand. Skeletal dysplasia, a group of genetic disorders affecting bone and cartilage growth, presents diagnostic challenges due to overlapping clinical features. B290 exhibited rhizomelia, humeral varus deformity, coxa vara, and block thoracic vertebra. A thorough differential diagnosis comparing 56 skeletal dysplasias identified that B290's skeletal pathology was consistent with conditions including hypochondroplasia or pseudoachondroplasia. The case contributes to a growing body of literature identifying extreme short stature and/or skeletal dysplasia in adults from the prehistory of Mainland Southeast Asia, indicating inclusion of differently abled individuals in society was not rare in this region, potentially highlighting a shared understanding of human value.