Matching Items (5)
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- All Subjects: Bioarchaeology
- All Subjects: Afro-Caribbean
- Creators: Stojanowski, Christopher
Description
Scalping has been practiced by the Native Americans since pre-Columbian times in North America and is observed as cut-marks in the form of a rough circle on the superior aspect of the cranium of the individual. For this study, there are 7 crania with cut-marks evident of scalping from the Southwest population of Chavez Pass. These crania were excavated from the site of Nuvakwewtaqa located in north-central Arizona, in the middle of the Coconino National Forest. Unfortunately, the site was heavily looted through pot-hunter activity, leading to a large collection of commingle remains. The objectives of this study are summarized into three basic question words: Who? Where? And, How? More specifically: [1] whether there is a relationship between age or sex and being a victim of scalping; [2] whether there is a relationship between the burial location and having been scalped; and, [3] whether the age or sex of an individual affected the manner in which they were scalped. For this analysis of scalping, three statistical tests were used: Fisher's exact test, Chi-Square test and two-sample t-tests.
ContributorsBeyens, Anne Marie (Author) / Simon, Arleyn (Thesis director) / Stojanowski, Christopher (Committee member) / Schwartz, Gary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Objectives: The objective of this research is to develop a better understanding of the ways in which Transition Analysis estimates differ from traditional estimates in terms of age-at-death point estimation and inter-observer error. Materials and methods: In order to achieve the objectives of the research, 71 adult individuals from an archaeological site in northern Sudan were subjected to Transition Analysis age estimation by the author, a beginner-level osteologist. These estimates were compared to previously produced traditional multifactorial age estimates for these individuals, as well as a small sample of Transition Analysis estimates produced by an intermediate-level investigator. Results: Transition Analysis estimates do not have a high correlation with traditional estimates of age at death, especially when those estimates fall within middle or old adult age ranges. The misalignment of beginner- and intermediate-level Transition Analysis age estimations calls into question intra-method as well as inter-method replicability of age estimations. Discussion: Although the poor overall correlation of Transition Analysis estimates and traditional estimates in this study might be blamed on the relatively low experience level of the analyst, the results cast doubt on the replicability of Transition Analysis estimations, echoing the Bethard's (2005) results on a known-age sample. The results also question the validity of refined age estimates produced for individuals previously estimated to be in the 50+ age range by traditional methods and suggest that Transition Analysis tends to produce younger estimates than its traditional counterparts. Key words: age estimation, Transition Analysis, human osteology, observer error
ContributorsPhillips, Megann M. (Author) / Baker, Brenda (Thesis director) / Norris, Annie Laurie (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Although the Caribbean has been continuously inhabited for the last 7,000 years, European contact in the last 500 years dramatically reshaped the cultural and genetic makeup of island populations. Several recent studies have explored the genetic diversity of Caribbean Latinos and have characterized Native American variation present within their genomes. However, the difficulty of obtaining ancient DNA from pre-contact populations and the underrepresentation of non-Latino Caribbean islanders in current research have prevented a complete understanding of genetic variation over time and space in the Caribbean basin. This dissertation uses two approaches to characterize the role of migration and admixture in the demographic history of Caribbean islanders. First, autosomal variants were genotyped in a sample of 55 Afro-Caribbeans from five islands in the Lesser Antilles: Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Trinidad, and St. Vincent. These data were used to characterize genetic structure, ancestry and signatures of selection in these populations. The results demonstrate a complex pattern of admixture since European contact, including a strong signature of sex-biased mating and inputs from at least five continental populations to the autosomal ancestry of Afro-Caribbean peoples. Second, ancient mitochondrial and nuclear DNA were obtained from 60 skeletal remains, dated between A.D. 500–1300, from three archaeological sites in Puerto Rico: Paso del Indio, Punta Candelero and Tibes. The ancient data were used to reassesses existing models for the peopling of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean and to examine the extent of genetic continuity between ancient and modern populations. Project findings support a largely South American origin for Ceramic Age Caribbean populations and identify some genetic continuity between pre and post contact islanders. The above study was aided by development and testing of extraction methods optimized for recovery of ancient DNA from tropical contexts. Overall, project findings characterize how ancient indigenous groups, European colonial regimes, the African Slave Trade and modern labor movements have shaped the genomic diversity of Caribbean islanders. In addition to its anthropological and historical importance, such knowledge is also essential for informing the identification of medically relevant genetic variation in these populations.
ContributorsNieves Colón, Maria (Author) / Stone, Anne C (Thesis advisor) / Pestle, William J. (Committee member) / Benn-Torres, Jada (Committee member) / Stojanowski, Christopher (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
This paper will cover a variety of stable isotope systems, both light and heavy, that are used to interpret isotopic analysis in two different disciplines: bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. To begin, I will give short histories of both bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology, including what is considered to be the beginning of the disciplines as well as the founders of said disciplines. Following the histories of the disciplines, there will be a short background in isotopes and isotopic analysis, including an introduction to isoscapes and how isotopic data can be collected for further interpretation. There will then be an introduction to light isotopes, focusing on the ones used for this thesis, which will lead into the background of each light isotope. Following the light isotopes is an introduction to the heavy isotopes and the backgrounds of each of the heavy isotopes. Finally, this thesis will end in the conclusions section.
ContributorsFranco, Kristina Marie (Author) / Knudson, Kelly (Thesis director) / Stojanowski, Christopher (Committee member) / School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
This dissertation examines microevolutionary changes in the Eastern Adriatic and hinterland during Roman imperialism, evaluating changing patterns of variation among indigenous groups with varying histories of acceptance or defiance to Roman rule. Despite the prevalence of Roman influence, trade, and the accommodating nature of Roman political authority administered through existing local leaders, Eastern Adriatic and hinterland peoples underwent significant cultural transformations. Unlike the Roman-allied Liburnians, Romanization was not a voluntary and amicable process for the resisting Delmatae, Histri, Japodes, and Pannonians. The violent experiences of locals during the late Republican Period and early Roman Empire, including death, enslavement, conscription, and displacement, contrast with the eventual integration of the region by the end of the Roman Empire, when their descendants were Roman citizens. These complex histories make it challenging to understand local identities and the impact of Romanization. Biological distance analyses of dental morphology from Liburnian, Delmatae, Japodes, and Pannonian samples representing 313 individuals dating to the Iron Age (c. 700- 400 BCE), and Roman Period (Roman Republic c. 200- 0 BCE; Roman Empire c. 1- 500 CE), were contextualized with archaeological data and classical research. Results indicated no significant differences within Eastern Adriatic and hinterland populations across the time periods. However, interpretations of the results for Roman Period Liburnians, descendants of Roman allies, suggest differentiation from contemporaneous Italic Romans. Conversely, the descendants of resisting populations were not statistically different from Roman Empire Italics, potentially influenced by their ancestors’ experiences of war affecting subsequent admixture, community formation, and adherence to prevailing norms.
Roman laws that managed access to advantageous status identities through marriage and citizenship may also explain the findings that all surveyed local populations demonstrate continuity between ancestors and descendants. The dynamic of being identified as Roman, and yet descending from the people who fought against Rome, is further discussed as a form of biological imperialism, consequentially shaping indigenous ancestral ties within a pan-regional Roman citizenry. While Roman multiculturalism is often considered exemplary of Antique Period diversity, Roman values prioritized diversity when it was advantageous and used pluralism to encourage cultural assimilation and define outsiders.
ContributorsLoewen, Tisa Nicolette (Author) / Stojanowski, Christopher (Thesis advisor) / Buikstra, Jane (Committee member) / Novak, Mario (Committee member) / Knudson, Kelly (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024