Ancient Skeleton Found in Lanzarote Reveals Rare 15th-Century Bone Disease
A remarkable archaeological discovery at San Marcial de Rubicón in southern Lanzarote has revealed what researchers describe as an exceptionally early case of Paget’s disease of bone outside continental Europe.
A skeleton recovered from the archaeological site of San Marcial de Rubicón, close to Playa Blanca in the municipality of Yaiza, has provided scientists with a fascinating insight into the health of someone who lived in Lanzarote more than 600 years ago.
Researchers from the University of La Laguna (ULL) and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), working alongside international specialists, have identified evidence consistent with polyostotic Paget’s disease of bone in an adult man buried during the early 15th century. The findings have been published in the International Journal of Paleopathology.
A discovery dating back more than 600 years
San Marcial de Rubicón is one of the most historically significant archaeological sites in Lanzarote. Established in 1402, it became the first permanent European settlement in the Canary Islands and played an important administrative and religious role during the early period of European occupation.
Archaeological investigations at the site have uncovered evidence of the people who lived and died there, including a burial area containing numerous human remains.
Among the skeletons studied was “Individual 10”, an adult man believed to have been aged over 40. His remains were recovered during archaeological work carried out at San Marcial de Rubicón in 2023. The skeleton was almost complete and attracted scientific attention because of the unusual changes visible in several of the bones.
What is Paget's disease of bone?
Paget’s disease of bone is a chronic condition in which the body's normal process of breaking down and rebuilding bone becomes disrupted.
Normally, old bone is continually removed and replaced with new bone. With Paget’s disease, this process can become excessively rapid and disorganised. The resulting bone may become enlarged, misshapen and structurally weaker than normal.
The condition can affect one bone or several parts of the skeleton. Commonly affected areas include the pelvis, spine, skull and long bones of the legs. Some people experience pain or joint problems, while others can have the condition without obvious symptoms.
In the Lanzarote discovery, the evidence points towards the polyostotic form, meaning several areas of the skeleton were affected.
What did scientists find in the Lanzarote skeleton?
The remains showed a collection of unusual changes rather than one isolated abnormality.
Researchers identified evidence including:
• Thickening of parts of the skull
• New bone formation
• Changes to the structure of several long bones
• Curvature of the left upper arm bone and right thigh bone
• Severe degeneration of the right knee
• Fusion involving the sacroiliac joint
• Changes affecting the spine and pelvis
The combination of these findings, together with detailed medical imaging, was considered most consistent with Paget’s disease of bone.
Scientists used modern technology to study a medieval skeleton
The research combined archaeology, medical imaging and ancient DNA analysis.
The researchers examined the bones directly before carrying out radiographic and CT imaging. They also analysed mitochondrial DNA preserved in the remains.
The genetic analysis identified haplogroup X2c1, which is compatible with European maternal ancestry. However, the researchers are careful to point out that this does not prove that the man was genetically predisposed to Paget’s disease. The nuclear DNA available from the skeleton was not sufficiently preserved to investigate the specific genetic variants associated with susceptibility to the condition.
Could the man have been in pain?
This is one of the questions that scientists cannot answer with certainty.
Modern Paget’s disease can cause bone and joint pain, deformities and mobility problems, but the condition can also be present without obvious symptoms.
The skeleton from San Marcial de Rubicón does show evidence of long-term changes that would have affected the body's mechanics. The curvature of some bones, differences between the legs and severe deterioration around the knee suggest that his body had adapted to an abnormal pattern of movement over a considerable period.
However, researchers cannot determine from the skeleton alone how much pain the man experienced andwhether he had difficulty walking.
Why is this discovery important for Lanzarote?
The significance of the find goes well beyond the diagnosis of one historical disease.
San Marcial de Rubicón provides a rare opportunity to study everyday life during the earliest stages of European settlement in the Canary Islands.
Archaeologists are not only interested in buildings, pottery, coins and other artefacts. Human remains can reveal information about nutrition, disease, physical activity, mobility and the biological backgrounds of people who lived at the settlement.
The Paget’s disease discovery therefore adds a new dimension to our understanding of life in 15th-century Lanzarote.
San Marcial de Rubicón: one of Lanzarote's most important archaeological sites
For anyone interested in Lanzarote history, archaeology and heritage, San Marcial de Rubicón is an especially significant location.
The archaeological area lies in the south of the island in the Yaiza municipality, in the wider Playa Blanca area. The site contains evidence associated with the early European settlement as well as material connected with the island's Indigenous population.
Previous archaeological investigations have uncovered a range of material, including human remains and historic coins. Researchers have described the site as an important place for understanding the interactions between European settlers and the existing population of Lanzarote.
A glimpse into Lanzarote's past
For visitors enjoying the beaches, restaurants and sunshine of Playa Blanca, it can be easy to overlook just how deep the history of this corner of Lanzarote really is.
But beneath the modern landscape is evidence of communities that lived here centuries ago.
The discovery of Paget’s disease in a 15th-century skeleton gives researchers a very personal glimpse into that past. It tells us that people living in Lanzarote during this period were not simply names in historical documents — they experienced illness, physical changes and the challenges of everyday life just as people do today.
Because this is regarded as an exceptionally early archaeological example of Paget’s disease outside continental Europe, the discovery gives Lanzarote archaeology international scientific significance.
An AI Generated Image has been used in this Article.
