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”.
Top Related