A Possible case of Facio-Auriculo-Vertebral sequence (FAVs) in an adult female from medieval Iceland (13th–16th Century)

Objective: This paper presents a possible case of Facio-Auriculo-Vertebral sequence (FAVs) in an adult female from Haffjarðarey, Western Iceland (1200–1563 CE) and a brief review of associated terminology. Materials: The skeletal remains of a single adult female (HFE-A-34, 18–24 years old), excavated in 1945 by the National Museum of Iceland. Methods: We carried out macroscopic examination of the cranium and mandible in 2017. Results: Right side unilateral asymmetric craniofacial dysplasia was identified on the cranium and mandible of HFE-A-34. Conclusions: This individual presents with anomalous craniofacial asymmetry consistent with a clinical diagnosis of FAVs. Significance: This paper offers a visually distinct case of an under-represented and under-documented congenital condition for future identification within paleopathology. Limitations: Infra-cranial skeletal manifestations of FAVs would strengthen this possible diagnosis, but at this time it is not possible to definitively link the cranium and mandible of HFE-A-34 to any of the infra-cranial remains excavated from Haffjarðarey. Suggestions for further research: In addition to further clarifying the variable nature of FAVs in archaeological remains, a detailed discussion of disability and the perception of disabled individuals within the medieval North Atlantic is necessary in order to understand the lived experiences of affected individuals.