Ancient temporal bone osteopathology.

Few isolated specimens or series of temporal bone abnormalities from antiquity are reported from North America. Infections were in the past and are today the most common otologic problems. Differentiating infectious disease residua from other causes of osteopathology has proven difficult for some not conversant with disease pathophysiology. During clinical experience spanning five decades and research involving several thousand aboriginal skeletons, data relating to temporal bone disease were accumulated. As a didactic exercise, findings in 18 illustrative temporal bones encountered during research are presented and discussed briefly.