New insights into the consumption of maize and other food plants in the pre-Columbian Caribbean from starch grains trapped in human dental calculus

Archaeology of indigenous Americ

Archeologe Hayley (31) is lyrisch over lijken

Leiden. Op een veld in Texas worden elke dag honderd lijken bestudeerd voor politieonderzoek en de wetenschap. Het klinkt als een macabere werkplek, maar de Leidse archeologe Hayley Mickleburgh (31) mikt op een beurs om hier nog jaren onderzoek te verrichten. ‘Er is niks griezeligs aan.’NexusArchaeology of indigenous Americ

Sr–Pb isotope differences in pre- and post-burial human bone, teeth, and hair keratin: implications for isotope forensics

The isotopic signatures of human tissues can provide valuable information on geographic origin for medicolegal investigations involving unidentified persons. It is important to understand the impact of diagenetic processes on isotopic signatures, as alterations could result in incorrect estimation of geographic origin. This study examines alterations in isotope signatures of different tissues of five human body donors studied throughout decomposition at the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF), San Marcos, TX. Two body donors were buried, two were placed in open pits, and one was first allowed to naturally mummify and then buried. Remains were recovered after a period of 7–34 months. The preplacement and post-recovery Sr–Pb isotope data of scalp hair, bone (iliac and tibia), and tooth enamel and dentine were compared. The hair samples record significant shifts in Sr-Pb isotope compositions, with hair keratin Pb isotope composition shifting towards the Pb signature of local soil samples. Hair keratin Sr isotope compositions were altered by the burial environment and possibly also by the lab sample cleaning method. The spongy iliac bone samples show inconsistencies in the recoverability of the preplacement Sr–Pb isotope signatures. The post-placement signatures of the buried donors show slight elevation over preplacement signatures. The post-placement signatures of donors placed in open pits are significantly elevated. The tibia and dental samples record the most consistent isotopic data with the least alteration. These more densely mineralised elements show good recoverability of the preplacement isotope signatures in burials and open pits and are thus deemed better targets for forensic investigative purposes

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

Skeletons in the closet: future avenues for the curation of archaeological human skeletal remains in the Dutch Caribbean and the rest of the region

Human skeletal remains from archaeological contexts in the Dutch Caribbean and the rest of the region are curated in a variety of facilities such as museums and the premises of heritage organizations, history and archaeology interest groups or in some cases private collections. These curating facilities deal with various challenges regarding the care for human remains, but in many cases a lack of sufficient resources affects the conservation of the human remains that have been under long-term curation. This chapter discusses some of the ways in which storage conditions and documentation of human skeletal remains in the region may cost-effectively be improved. Legislation and guidelines pertaining to the treatment of archaeological human remains in other parts of the world provide a potential framework for the development of conservation strategies for human skeletal remains under (long-term) curation in both the Dutch Caribbean, where legislation and guidelines for Dutch archaeology have recently been introduced, and the Caribbean region as a whole. While conservation of human remains is in the interest of all stakeholders, this chapter emphasizes the strengthening of ties between visiting researchers and curators in order to effectively make use of the available expertise and maintain conservation with very few resources. A model for the post-recovery treatment of archaeological human remains based on museum guidelines recently developed in Europe and shared responsibility between visiting researchers and curators is proposed.Archaeology of indigenous Americ

Reading the dental record : a dental anthropological approach to foodways, health and disease, and crafting in the pre-Columbian Caribbean

Reading the Dental Record investigates human foodways, health and disease, and certain (gender-related) craft activities in the pre-Columbian Caribbean archipelago, through integrated analyses of patterns of dental wear and pathology in a large number of skeletal remains from the region. Individuals, communities, and regional populations were physically affected by their foodways and cultural practices, leaving permanent traces on the teeth. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, which combines archaeological, bioarchaeological, ethnohistoric, and ethnographic data, as well as evidence from clinical dentistry this study has brought to light hitherto unexplored aspects of lifeways and cultural practices in the pre-Columbian Caribbean.</p

Skeletons in the closet: future avenues for the curation of archaeological human skeletal remains in the Dutch Caribbean and the rest of the region

Human skeletal remains from archaeological contexts in the Dutch Caribbean and the rest of the region are curated in a variety of facilities such as museums and the premises of heritage organizations, history and archaeology interest groups or in some cases private collections. These curating facilities deal with various challenges regarding the care for human remains, but in many cases a lack of sufficient resources affects the conservation of the human remains that have been under long-term curation. This chapter discusses some of the ways in which storage conditions and documentation of human skeletal remains in the region may cost-effectively be improved. Legislation and guidelines pertaining to the treatment of archaeological human remains in other parts of the world provide a potential framework for the development of conservation strategies for human skeletal remains under (long-term) curation in both the Dutch Caribbean, where legislation and guidelines for Dutch archaeology have recently been introduced, and the Caribbean region as a whole. While conservation of human remains is in the interest of all stakeholders, this chapter emphasizes the strengthening of ties between visiting researchers and curators in order to effectively make use of the available expertise and maintain conservation with very few resources. A model for the post-recovery treatment of archaeological human remains based on museum guidelines recently developed in Europe and shared responsibility between visiting researchers and curators is proposed.</p

Digital archaeology of death and burial. Using 3D reconstruction, visualization and simulation to frame past experience

In this chapter we demonstrate how 3D digital tools augment the archaeothanatological analysis, and by extension provide new ways of framing past experiences of death and burial. We illustrate our findings with a Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age (2500–1700 BC) archaeological case study from the site of Oostwoud-Tuithoorn, West-Frisia, the Netherlands, in which we integrate the outcomes of a traditional post-excavation archaeothanatological analysis with 3D digital reconstruction and simulation.European PrehistoryDigital Archaeolog