Osteological characteristics of Chinese foot-binding in archaeological remains

Abstract Foot-binding was a widespread custom in China for hundreds of years, though the severity and type of binding varied considerably over time and space. To examine the morphological consequences of extremely severe foot-binding, this paper uses 35 sets of bound and 33 sets of unbound foot bones, from the remains of women excavated from the Xinzhi cemetery in northern Shandong Province. Based on macroscopic observation, CT slices, and measurements of bound foot bones, multiple distinctive consequences of foot-binding were identified. Compared with normal bones, bound foot bones have severely reduced overall size and weight. The density of trabecular mesh was reduced and its structure was altered in all tarsal bones. While the talus and navicular bones of bound feet retained all major groups of trabeculae, the calcaneus experienced massive trabecular loss, suggesting that in a bound foot the calcaneus lost its weight bearing function and its role in plantarflexion. The severity of changes was greater in the laterally positioned foot bones, i.e. the lateral cuneiform, the cuboid, and 4th and 5th metatarsals, than in the medial ones, showing that most of the body weight in the bound foot was transmitted along the first ray. Degenerative osteoarthritic changes affected articular surfaces of the foot bones, even in young individuals. These changes suggest that the biomechanics of bipedal locomotion were considerably affected in all females with severely bound feet.