Pathological and normal variability of foot bones in osteological collections from Catalonia (Spain) and Lazio (Italy)

Abstract A wide number of factors can affect the structure bones in foot. In bioarchaeology, few studies about foot anomalies include population comparisons and changes across time. We aimed to identify normal pathological variability that affected recent history West Mediterranean populations. Thus, we analyzed change occurrence rare variants, lesions, entheseal morphology, their probable causes. studied 518 pairs skeletonized feet dated from 2nd–20th centuries CE, Catalonia (Spain) region Lazio (Italy). Moreover, a Neolithic series Oman has been for contrast. found calcaneal spur, hypertrophic peroneal trochlea calcaneus, periosteal reaction talar neck, alteration articular surface lateral cuneiform, displaced neck medial plane, osteophytes cuneiform‐navicular joint, fused phalanges, forefoot eburnation showed significant differences among countries. Contrasting by countries dates, noticed an increase frequencies these variables Spain over centuries. Conversely, there are no temporal Italian series. The period encompassing 10th–19th CE demonstrated highest between Lifestyle, occupations, footwear, geography could be origin variability.