Archaeological investigations on St. Martin (Lesser Antilles). The sites of Norman Estate, Anse des Pères, and Hope Estate. With a contribution to the 'La Hueca problem'

Wetensch. publ. non-refereedFaculty of Archeolog

A probable case of metastatic carcinoma in the medieval Netherlands

Despite recent considerable gains, our knowledge of cancer in antiquity is still limited. This paper discusses an adult individual from a Dutch medieval hospital site who demonstrates osteoblastic and osteolytic lesions on the ribs, scapula, clavicle, and vertebrae. The morphology, radiographic appearance, and distribution of the skeletal lesions suggest that this individual was affected by metastatic carcinoma. This case increases the number of publications that present an osteoblastic and osteolytic response to cancer and contributes to the body of evidence for archaeological neoplastic disease. For the Netherlands, this individual presents the first published case of probable metastatic carcinoma with mixed skeletal lesions.BioarchaeologyRoman Provinces, Middle Ages and Modern Perio

A Multi-Isotope Investigation of Human and Dog mobility and diet in the pre-colonial Antilles.

The complex relationships between humans and dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) have a very deep and unique history. Dogs have accompanied humans as they colonised much of the world, and were introduced via human agency into the insular Caribbean where they became widespread throughout the Ceramic Age. It is likely that the dynamic interactions between humans, dogs, and their environments in the Caribbean were spatially, chronologically, and socially variable. However, almost no research has specifically addressed the nature, or potential variability, of human/dog interactions in this region. This study presents isotopic (strontium and carbon) evidence bearing on human and dog paleomobility and paleodietary patterns in the pre-colonial Caribbean. The isotope results illustrate a generally high degree of correspondence between human and dog dietary practices at all analysed sites but also slight differences in the relative importance of different dietary inputs. Striking parallels are also observed between the human and dog mobility patterns and shed light on broader networks of social interaction and exchange. Lastly, the paper addresses the possible utility and relevance of canine isotope data as proxies for inferring past human behaviours.Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)Archaeology of the America

A distant city: Assessing the impact of Dutch socioeconomic developments on urban and rural health using respiratory disease as a proxy

NWOPGW.21.008Bioarchaeolog

Technological persistence in ceramic production in the southeastern Hispaniola: The case study of El Cabo (600-1502 CE)

Archaeology of the America

Reimagining Creolization: the deep history of cultural interactions in the Windward Islands, Lesser Antilles, through the lens of material culture

Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)Archaeology of the America

Diet and urbanisation in medieval Holland.: Studying dietary change through carious lesions and stable isotope analysis

In the late medieval period, Holland experienced substantial socio-economic change. While the region was largely undeveloped prior to 1200 CE, the period after was characterised by extensive urbanisation and flourishing international trade, changes that would have impacted many aspects of life. This paper investigates the effect of these changes on diet by comparing skeletal collections from the early/central medieval rural village of Blokhuizen (800–1200 CE) to the late medieval urban town of Alkmaar (1448–1572 CE) using a combination of the prevalence and location of carious lesions (nteeth = 3475) and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data (n = 50). Results show that the urban Alkmaar population had a significantly higher caries frequency (7.4% vs. 16.1%), starting at a younger age. Moreover, Alkmaar had significantly more approximal caries. These results point to increased consumption of cariogenic products, such as sugars and starches, by the urban citizens. Dietary differences are also demonstrated by the stable isotope data. Alkmaar individuals have significantly enriched δ15N ratios and more variable δ13C ratios compared with rural Blokhuizen. The elevated δ15N values may be due to increased consumption of fish or animals such as omnivorous pigs and chickens. The combination of caries and isotopic data points to clear changes in diet suggesting that urban individuals in the late medieval period had a substantially different diet compared with early rural inhabitants from the same area. Specifically, an increase in market dependence, availability of international trade products, and the growth of commercial fishing in the late medieval period may have contributed to this dietary shift. Future research should include a late medieval rural population to better understand the effects of late medieval socio-economic developments outside of the urban environment. This study demonstrates that the integration of palaeopathology and stable isotopic research provides a more complete understanding of dietary changes in medieval Holland.Stichting Nederlands Museum voor Anthropologie en PraehistorieBioarchaeolog

Resilient Caribbean communities: a long-term perspective on sustainability and social adaptability to natural hazards in the Lesser Antilles

Archaeology of the America

Life and death at precolumbian Lavoutte, Saint Lucia, Lesser Antilles

The Caribbean archaeological record requires immediate attention and protection. Development and natural forces have impacted archaeological sites, destroying or severely damaging them. The precolumbian site of Lavoutte, located in northern Saint Lucia, has been known as a major Late Ceramic Age (A.D. 1000–1500) settlement since the 1960s, but it has been damaged over the past decades by both natural and human processes. Multidisciplinary field and laboratory methodologies were implemented during a rescue project at the site from 2009 to 2010. This paper presents the results of collaborative efforts between local and international organizations. The first goal was to demonstrate the importance of protection and rescue of endangered archaeological sites. Secondly, we aimed to show that by adopting a multidisciplinary approach including artifact analysis, bioarchaeology, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, and geochemistry, severely damaged sites can be of significant informational value. Archaeology of indigenous Americ

Anse Trabaud commune de Sainte-Anne, Martinique:reconstruction d’un village amérindien. Son insertion dans le réseau d’échanges Antillais entre 600 et 1200 après J.-C. Rapport final, prospection thématique, sondages et fouille 2012 et 2015.

Archaeology of indigenous Americ