Paleopathology of brown bears (Ursus arctos, L. 1758) from Liptovská Mara, Northern Slovakia.

During the archaeozoological investigations in Liptovska Mara, 13 bones belonged to brown bear skeleton were identified. The materials were analysed macroscopically in order to determine the presence of the pathological bone changes. Moreover, X-ray imagination and microscopical analysis of the dental root cross-sections were done. The age of animal was estimated to 10-15 years. The pathological changes in periodontal area (chronic periodontitis) and in the metacarpal bones (hypertrophic bone formations) were described. According to accessible literature, archaeological and archaeozoological investigations results in the above-mentioned site, the bears from Liptovska Mara were killed, because of their potential attacks on domestic animals herds.