Analysis of Human Analysis of Human RemainsRemains

Legal and Ethical Issues Legal and Ethical Issues Types of BurialsTypes of Burials

IdentificationIdentificationAnalysisAnalysis

InterpretationInterpretation

Legal and Ethical IssuesLegal and Ethical Issues

LegalLegal State lawsState laws

CA-stop on private of state land if burial discovered, CA-stop on private of state land if burial discovered, county coroner notified (Health and Safety code).county coroner notified (Health and Safety code).Coroner notifies Native American Heritage association, Coroner notifies Native American Heritage association, who notifies “most likely descendant”who notifies “most likely descendant”

Federal lawsFederal lawsNAGPRANAGPRA

EthicalEthical Remains of a person’s ancestor.Remains of a person’s ancestor. Burial artifactsBurial artifacts Isolated human teeth and bones.Isolated human teeth and bones.

Types of BurialsTypes of Burials

InhumationsInhumations bodies that are interred unburnedbodies that are interred unburned

Primary-located in place where originally Primary-located in place where originally interred.interred.

Secondary-interred, decomposed then Secondary-interred, decomposed then re-interred.re-interred.

sometimes in groupssometimes in groups

Sometimes not articulated Sometimes not articulated

Primary InhumationPrimary Inhumation

Actun Tunichil Muchnal, Belize

SecondarySecondary

'Burial Platform (Apsaroke)'Edward Curtis, 1908

http://www.deathonline.net/disposal/exposure/index.cfm

Types of BurialsTypes of Burials

CremationsCremations bodies that have been burned.bodies that have been burned.

Primary Primary buried in pit in which it was burned. buried in pit in which it was burned.

Secondary Secondary buried in a place other that where it was buried in a place other that where it was

burned.burned.

Roman CremationRoman Cremation

Isolated and Multiple intermentsIsolated and Multiple interments

Isolated-single burials or cremationsIsolated-single burials or cremations

Multiple-many individualsMultiple-many individuals accidental-burial intersecting anotheraccidental-burial intersecting another purposeful-charnal houses, ossuaries.purposeful-charnal houses, ossuaries.

Interments: MultipleInterments: Multiple

Moche burial: Man and Child

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0103/feature3/zoom6.html

Body Position & OrientationsBody Position & Orientations

Tightly flexed-knees touching chest and Tightly flexed-knees touching chest and arms around legs.arms around legs.

Flexed-knees drawn loosely to body.Flexed-knees drawn loosely to body.

Extended-stretched out.Extended-stretched out.

Prone-lying flat on stomachProne-lying flat on stomach

Supine-lying flat on backSupine-lying flat on back

Body PositionsBody Positions

Loosely Flexed

http://www.deathonline.net/disposal/preservation/andean.cfm

Tightly Flexed Mummy from Chacalluta , near Arica, Chile

Identification TerminologyIdentification Terminology

Element-boneElement-boneSide of the bodySide of the body

LeftLeft RightRight Non-sided elementNon-sided element

Part of bonePart of bone Proximal (top)Proximal (top) distal (bottom)distal (bottom) Medial (middle)Medial (middle)

Initial AnalysisInitial Analysis

http://web.utk.edu/~herrmann/Logan/LOGANS.htm

Bone ClassificationBone Classification

SkullSkull cranium-skull minus mandiblecranium-skull minus mandible calvarium-skull minus facial bonescalvarium-skull minus facial bones dentition-permanent and deciduous (32 perm)dentition-permanent and deciduous (32 perm)

PostcranialPostcranial long bones-limb boneslong bones-limb bones short bones-hands and feet, clavicleshort bones-hands and feet, clavicle Flat bones-pelvis, scapulaFlat bones-pelvis, scapula Irregular-vertebra, wrist and ankle.Irregular-vertebra, wrist and ankle.

http://medstat.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/ostehttp://medstat.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/osteology/ology/

AnalysisAnalysis

Initial sortingInitial sorting general categoriesgeneral categories bone elementbone element fragmentsfragments

Metric analysisMetric analysis measurement of various bonesmeasurement of various bones stature, cranial index (measure of shape of skull)stature, cranial index (measure of shape of skull) e.g. Cranial index=maximum cranial breadth X e.g. Cranial index=maximum cranial breadth X

100/maximum cranial length, average skull has a 100/maximum cranial length, average skull has a CI of 75 to 80.CI of 75 to 80.

Other analysesOther analyses

Xrays-traumas, bone density, unerupted Xrays-traumas, bone density, unerupted teeth.teeth.

Microsopic-disease, pathology, cut Microsopic-disease, pathology, cut marksmarks

Chemistry-isotope ratios for diet, Chemistry-isotope ratios for diet,

DNADNA

Nonmetric variations-variations in Nonmetric variations-variations in number of teeth, degree of ossification number of teeth, degree of ossification

Dental MicrowearDental Microwear

Pits and grooves can often help identify diet.

Estimations of Age, Estimations of Age, Sex, Stature and Race Sex, Stature and Race

AgeAge categories-infant (up to 2 years), juvenile (2-10), subadult (10-categories-infant (up to 2 years), juvenile (2-10), subadult (10-

21), adult (21 +)21), adult (21 +) estimation-epiphyses (fusion of bones-up to 21), closure of estimation-epiphyses (fusion of bones-up to 21), closure of

cranial sutures (up to 40), dental eruption (deciduous 1-3, cranial sutures (up to 40), dental eruption (deciduous 1-3, permanent 5-12), tooth wear (adults).permanent 5-12), tooth wear (adults).

SexSex Sexual dimorphism-differences in between males and females Sexual dimorphism-differences in between males and females

not due to sexual organs.not due to sexual organs. Pelvis-size of passage through pelvis, width of sciatic notch, Pelvis-size of passage through pelvis, width of sciatic notch,

subpubic angle.subpubic angle.

StatureStature long bones measurement applied to a table.long bones measurement applied to a table.

RaceRace skullskull Caucasoid (European), Negroid (Africa), Mongoloids (Asian Caucasoid (European), Negroid (Africa), Mongoloids (Asian

and Native American)and Native American) Incisors of Mongoloids often shovel shaped.Incisors of Mongoloids often shovel shaped.

PathologiesPathologies

DegenerationDegenerationTraumaTraumaStressStressDisease & NutritionalDisease & NutritionalDental pathologiesDental pathologiesOther-genetic abnormalities, developmental Other-genetic abnormalities, developmental problems. problems. Timing of pathologyTiming of pathology

Antemortem-prior to deathAntemortem-prior to death Postmortem-after deathPostmortem-after death Perimortem-during or around time of death.Perimortem-during or around time of death.

DegenerationDegeneration

Osteoporosis-deossification of bone.Osteoporosis-deossification of bone.

Arthritis-destruction of cartilage and Arthritis-destruction of cartilage and formation of adjacent bone.formation of adjacent bone.

ArthritisArthritis

TraumaTrauma

disruption to bone, such as fractures, disruption to bone, such as fractures, trephination, amputation, cranial trephination, amputation, cranial deformation.deformation.

Survival of trauma usually has bone Survival of trauma usually has bone regrowth.regrowth.

TraumaTrauma

Disease & NutritionalDisease & Nutritional

DiseaseDisease lesions or growths-tuberculosis, tumors, lesions or growths-tuberculosis, tumors,

infections.infections.

NutritionalNutritional scurvy (vitamin C deficit) results in bone scurvy (vitamin C deficit) results in bone

thinning and fractures.thinning and fractures. Rickets (vitamin D deficit) results in bent or Rickets (vitamin D deficit) results in bent or

distorted bones.distorted bones.

ScurvyScurvy

StressStress

Harris linesHarris lines bone growth interrupted during starvations.bone growth interrupted during starvations.

Occupational/work load related.Occupational/work load related.

Harris LinesHarris Lines

Individual had experienced several stress episodes during childhood

http://web.utk.edu/~herrmann/Logan/Loganleh.htm

Dental pathologiesDental pathologies

cavitiescavities

purposeful modificationpurposeful modification

periodontal disease, infection of tissue periodontal disease, infection of tissue around tooth (from cavity), abcess, loss around tooth (from cavity), abcess, loss of tooth, resorption.of tooth, resorption.

Teeth as tools-grooves, etc Teeth as tools-grooves, etc

Dental PathologyDental Pathology

Purposeful ModificationPurposeful Modification

TeethTeeth FiledFiled InsertsInserts

Cranial DeformationCranial Deformation

Modified Tooth from Cueva de las Modified Tooth from Cueva de las Arañas Arañas

A Brief Comment on Functional Use of Intentionally Filed Teeth Nicholas P. Herrmann, Derek C. Benedix, Ann M. Scott, Valerie A. Haskins

http://archaeology.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=archaeology&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fweb.utk.edu%2F%7Eherrmann%2FAranas%2Faranpap.htm

Cranial DeformationCranial Deformation

Chinook Flathead

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Andes/4354/defcrania.html

Cranial Deformation: AustraliaCranial Deformation: Australia

http://www-personal.une.edu.au/~pbrown3/ausindex.html

Interpretation of Prehistoric PopulationsInterpretation of Prehistoric Populations

Overall HealthOverall Health bone conditionbone condition pathologiespathologies

Diet and NutritionDiet and Nutrition direct data to individual diet and nutritiondirect data to individual diet and nutrition chemical and stable isotope chemical and stable isotope

PaleodemographyPaleodemography study of numbers and distributions of ancient study of numbers and distributions of ancient

populations.populations. Life span, gender ratio, population stress.Life span, gender ratio, population stress.

Social InferencesSocial Inferences social statussocial status religionreligion

Misuse of Human DataMisuse of Human Data

Populations vary widely in appearance Populations vary widely in appearance and yet are similar genetically.and yet are similar genetically.

People have tried to equate appearance People have tried to equate appearance with intelligence, but there are no with intelligence, but there are no differences in either the intelligence or differences in either the intelligence or capacity of intelligence between the so-capacity of intelligence between the so-called “races”.called “races”.