A Possible Case of Infantile Cortical Hyperostosis from Middle Byzantine Aphrodisias, Türkiye

This study presents a possible case of infantile cortical hyperostosis (ICH) in a 2.5–3.5-year-old individual from a twelth century Middle Byzantine burial context from Aphrodisias, Türkiye. ICH, a rare inflammatory bone disease typically of infancy, is seldom identified archaeologically due to its transient nature. This individual exhibited asymmetrical periosteal new bone formation on the mandible, scapula, and the diaphyses of the ulna, humerus, and radius. Differential diagnosis considered pathological conditions such as haemolytic anaemias, scurvy, rickets, tuberculosis, and child abuse; however, the alterations are most consistent with ICH. This is the first known archaeological case from Türkiye, contributing to discussions on infant health in Byzantine populations.