A sacral anomaly from the Quaker Cemetery, Kingston-upon-Thames, England

A rare defect of the sacrum was observed in the skeleton of an adult female from the Quaker Cemetery (1663–1814 CE) in Kingston‐upon‐Thames, England. This is an isolated finding in the skeletal collection and no other elements in this individual were similarly affected. After eliminating post‐depositional damage and skeletal asymmetry, a differential diagnosis resulted in the consideration of two conditions: hemivertebra and sacral agenesis, both of which are rare developmental defects that originate during foetal growth. Although the defect is interesting from an embryological, genetic and palaeopathological perspective, it would have resulted in few clinical symptoms for the individual. This case adds to the limited knowledge of the morphological variability of the sacrum, and will aid in future diagnoses of these rare pathological conditions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.