A Tali of Two Tombs: Calculating MNI and Bone Calcination in Commingled Remains from Two Bronze Age Tombs in the UAE

Background: The Umm an-Nar period (2700-2000 BCE) is known for its dichotomy between the rise in social hierarchy during life, seen in the construction of monumental towers and emergence of oasis agriculture, and equal treatment in death, seen in the commingling of all community members within monumental tombs. Umm an-Nar tombs Unar 1 (2400-2200 BCE) and Unar 2 (2300-2100 BCE) were part of the Shimal Necropolis in the United Arab Emirates. Archaeologists initially hypothesized that these tombs each contained 400+ people, but these estimates were not based on bioarchaeological methods. Methods: Using the talus, the landmark and zonation methods were compared to assess the minimum number of individuals (MNI) within Unar 1 and 2. As some individuals underwent cremation before interment, a Munsell Color Chart was used to assess the extent of heat-related changes to bone. Results: The landmark (Unar 1: 87; Unar 2: 227) and zonation (Unar 1: 88; Unar 2: 228) methods produced comparable MNI results for each tomb but far below original MNI estimations made by archaeologists. Far fewer individuals were cremated at high temperatures earlier in the Umm an-Nar period, with Unar 2 showing a much higher percentage of calcined bone (63%) than Unar 1 (26%) (X2= 200.738, df=2, p\u3c0.0001). Conclusion: Results suggests that the population may have grown over time, and that later residents needed a larger tomb to house more of their dead. Increasing frequencies of calcined bone indicates a shift in mortuary practices over time in which cremation may have become more important in processing the dead. Funding Statement: This research was funded by a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Award (#1852426).https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/present_yr1/1004/thumbnail.jp

Sex Estimation for Early Bronze Age Arabian Tombs using the Temporal Bone

Background: The Umm an-Nar period (2700-2000 BCE) in the United Arab Emirates was marked by the appearance of settlements, oasis agriculture, and fortification towers, suggesting increasing stratification. Conversely, mortuary practices indicate equality based on commingling of community members. Based on other tombs in the region, it was hypothesized that sex ratios would not differ between tombs Unar 1 (U1; 2400-2200 BCE) and Unar 2 (U2; 2300-2100 BCE). Methods: Sex was estimated using robusticity of the mastoid process and the lateral angle of the internal auditory meatus for the temporal bone. As cremation was part of the mortuary ritual and could affect bone morphology, the Munsell Soil Color Book was used to identify bone color. Results: Results indicated no significant difference (Fisher’s Exact: p \u3e 0.05) in sex ratios between U1 (15% male, 65% female, 20% indeterminate) and U2 (16% male, 70% female, 14% indeterminate) for the mastoid process. However, more females were in both tombs, unlike more equitable sex distributions in nearby tombs. On the other hand, the lateral angle method estimated a greater percentage of males (U1: 30%, U2: 36%). Concordance between methods was relatively similar when looking at burned and unburned bone (Fisher’s Exact: p \u3e 0.05), suggesting cremation practices did not affect sex estimation techniques. Conclusion: These outcomes suggest the mastoid process may not be the best sex estimation method for this population; the lateral angle method may be more accurate. Moreover, the surplus of females in both tombs may allude to the maintenance of gender stratification over time. Funding statement: This research was funded by a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Award (#1852426).https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/present_yr1/1002/thumbnail.jp

A Transition from Tradition: Employing TA3 and Traditional Age & Sex Estimation Methods to Study Paleodemography in Umm an-Nar Arabia

Background: Transition Analysis 3 (TA3) has enormous potential for the study of commingled skeletal material. Previous demographic analyses on commingled remains from Umm an-Nar (2700-2000 BCE) tombs Unar 1 and Unar 2 at the site of Shimal (Ras al-Khaimah, UAE) placed the majority of individuals in a generalized “adult” category using dental eruption. We hypothesized that we would identify more older adults (50+) in both tombs using TA3, and that more would be found in Unar 2, prior to the intensification of agriculture and regional aridification. Methods: Commingled and fragmentary skeletal fragments (pubic symphyses (n=51), humeri (n=85), femora (n=194)) were sorted and scored if two features were present for TA3 software to estimate age. Age was also estimated using the Suchey-Brooks with Hartnett adaptation. Results: Proximal and distal humeri delivered average age estimates of 42.7 and 47.8 years, respectively, while mean age-at-death for the femur was 47.8 years and for the pubic symphysis was 40.4 years. Conversely, Suchey-Brooks estimates from the same pubic symphyses gave an average of approximately 31 years. There were no statistically significant age distribution differences in older adults between the two tombs using TA3. Conclusion: We found that at least some individuals in these communities lived into old age, suggesting that despite the intensification of agriculture, aridification, and other major social changes happening during the third millennium BCE, community structure remained resilient, and that living to older ages was possible for those interred in both tombs. Funding Statement: This research has been funded through the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program (Award #1852426).https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/present_yr2/1000/thumbnail.jp

Analyzing the Prevalence and Severity of Cribra Orbitalia in Bronze Age Arabia

Background: The Umm an-Nar period (ca. 2700-2000 BCE) in southeastern Arabia was marked by the intensification of oasis agriculture and a corresponding shift to sedentism. Cribra orbitalia lesions from tombs Unar 1 and Unar 2 (Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, UAE) were observed for rates of nonspecific stress during this period of transition. We hypothesized that due to increased reliance on agriculture beginning around 2200 BCE, Unar 1 individuals would have a higher prevalence of active cribra orbitalia. Methods: Given the commingled and fragmentary nature of these collections, we first scored percentage of orbit present in 25% increments. Scorable orbits (defined as ≥25%) were then evaluated as present or absent for cribra orbitalia and scored for severity and healing. Results: There was no statistically significant differences in rates of cribra orbitalia between tombs (2=0.02, df=1, p=0.89), nor for measures of severity (2=0.59, df=2, p=0.74). However, a statistically significant difference was found between tombs for degree of healing for the left orbit (Fisher’s Exact; p=0.0004, df=3), with individuals from Unar 1 (69%) exhibiting higher rates of healing compared to Unar 2 (14%). Stable resource accumulation from oasis agriculture and herding coupled with enhanced interregional trade may explain this difference. Conclusion: Our results suggest frequency and severity of cribra orbitalia did not change over time, despite archaeological evidence for agricultural intensification in the latter third millennium, and that later individuals possessed improved healing of these lesions. This indicates that local inhabitants of this region were able to adapt successfully without negatively impacting their health. Funding Statement: This research was funded by a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Award (#1852426)https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/present_yr2/1001/thumbnail.jp

Estimating Age from Fetal and Young Nonadults from Basilar Portions at Umm an-Nar Tombs from the UAE

Background: The Umm an-Nar period (2700-2000 BCE) was a time of significant change in southeastern Arabia, prompted by agricultural shifts and seen in shifting social and mortuary practices. Communal tombs Unar 1 and Unar 2 from the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah (United Arab Emirates), which date to the end of the third millennium BCE, contained commingled, cremated, and fragmented skeletons, a common mortuary pattern in this period. Methods: Unfused basilar portions of nonadult occipital bones were examined to assess tomb membership and inclusion of young individuals. Three methods were used to analyze age, and measurements taken included sagittal length and maximum width. Regression formulae and equation tables were applied to find an estimated age range of fetal and nonadult bones up to 3 years of age. The age estimates generated by these different methods were then compared. Results: Various methods produced different age ranges for basilar portions in both tombs, with estimates indicating that between 20-50% were fetal in age. This is similar to other sites in the same time period. Due to our small sample size (n=11) of intact basilar portions, demographics between Unar 1 and 2 could not be statistically compared. Conclusion: This research showed that fetuses were allowed interment alongside other nonadults and adults in both tombs. Nevertheless, varying age estimations produced by different methods suggest that more research is needed on basilar age estimation before these results can be reliably applied to bioarchaeological contexts. Funding Statement: This research has been funded through the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program (Award #1852426).https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/present_yr2/1002/thumbnail.jp

Counting Chins to Count People: Determining MNI for Umm an-Nar Tombs from Mandibular Fragments

Background: The Umm an-Nar period (2700-2000 BCE) was a time of rapid transformation within the Oman Peninsula, characterized by changes in mortuary practices, agriculture, and settlement. Located in the United Arab Emirates, Unar 1 (2400-2200 BCE) and Unar 2 (2300-2100 BCE) are two large Umm an-Nar tombs that held commingled, fragmented remains, posing a challenge in determining the minimum number of individuals (MNI). Based on the larger size of Unar 2, we hypothesized that the number of interred individuals would increase over time. Methods: MNI was calculated using the zonation and landmark methods for the mandible. MNI and tomb size of Unar 1 and 2 were also compared to six other Umm an-Nar tombs in the region. Results: The mental spines from the landmark method provided the highest MNI for both Unar 1 (n=101) and Unar 2 (n=290). While the zonation method generated a lower MNI for Unar 1 (n=86) and Unar 2 (n=263), both methods resulted in a statistically similar MNI within each tomb (X2=0.08, df=1, p=0.78). Regionally, no association between Umm an-Nar tomb size and MNI was found (Spearman’s r = 0.048, p=0.91). Conclusions: Although both tombs were used for roughly 200 years, their different MNI counts suggest that over time, more individuals within the community were permitted access to the larger Unar 2 tomb. The comparison of tomb diameter and MNI revealed that tomb size was not simply a function of the number of people interred for Umm an-Nar communities, but instead perhaps had some social meaning. Funding statement: This research was funded by a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Award (#1852426).https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/present_yr1/1001/thumbnail.jp

On the Grind: Entheseal Changes of the Humerus and Activity Patterns of Bronze Age Arabia

https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/present_yr3/1000/thumbnail.jp

An Examination of Sex Distributions in Umm an-Nar Tombs from Bronze Age Arabia using the Distal Humerus

Background: Umm an-Nar (2700-2000 BCE) communal tombs from southeastern Arabia contain human skeletal remains characterized by extensive commingling and variable degrees of burning. Because of this, few bioarchaeological studies have been conducted examining the proportions of males to females in these monumental tombs. We hypothesized that increased social stratification in the late Umm an-Nar period would lead to a higher number of males interred in Umm an-Nar tombs over time. Methods: To estimate sex, we measured four features of the distal humeri from tombs Unar 1 (2400-2200 BCE) and Unar 2 (2300-2100 BCE). Heat-induced changes to bone from cremation were also assessed using the Munsell Soil Color Book due to the possibility that shrinkage and warping might affect measurements. Results: Techniques designed for evaluating sex for burned and unburned humeri resulted in frequencies of 37.5-47.1% male and 35.3-37.5% female for Unar 1, and 50.6-59.2% male and 34.7-39.2% female for Unar 2. Our results showed no significant difference (X²=0.06, df=1, p=0.81) in the proportions of males and females between the tombs. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the proportion of calcined to uncalcined bones between Unar 1 (46.3% calcined) and Unar 2 (62.2%) (X²=2.12, df=1, p=0.15). Conclusion: Our results did not support the hypothesis that increasing social stratification in the latter part of the Umm an-Nar period led to the interment of a higher number of males over time; this could indicate that social stratification was important for the living, but was intentionally limited in mortuary contexts. Funding statement: This research was funded by a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Award (#1852426).https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/present_yr1/1003/thumbnail.jp

Age and Inclusivity in Umm an-Nar Communal Tombs from Southeastern Arabia

Umm an-Nar (2700-2000 BCE) tombs in the United Arab Emirates contained the commingled remains of hundreds of individuals interred across multiple generations. Archaeologists commonly reference tomb demographics as being inclusive of all ages, but this assumption is based on a handful of studies that rarely distinguish age categories beyond “subadult” or “adult.” An undergraduate research training program sought to examine age distributions – and thus inclusivity in tomb membership – in greater detail, with a particular focus on fetal and older adult age categories. A combination of traditional and novel aging techniques were applied to bones from tombs Unar 1 (U1; MNI = 194) and 2 (U2; MNI = 410) at Shimal. Transition Analysis 3 scores for the femur, humerus, and pubic symphysis revealed older age categories not previously recognized in the region, with means ranging from 40.4-47.8 years, contrasting with an average of 31 years produced by Suchey-Brooks. Measurements identified fetuses and perinates in both tombs using the basilar (U1: 5; U2: 10), petrous (U1 left: 29; U2 right: 33), and distal femur (U1 left: 5; U2 left: 11), some as young as 20-22 fetal weeks. MicroCT scans of suspected fetal humeri (U1: 10; U2: 14) revealed a lack of bioerosion, confirming that stillborn infants were permitted access to tombs. These data substantiate the presence of very young and older adults in both tombs, and demonstrate that despite subsistence and environmental changes tied to increasing social stratification during this period, no age group was separated from the larger community in death.https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/present_yr2/1003/thumbnail.jp

MNI and Sex Estimation in Two Umm an-Nar Tombs from the UAE

Commingled tombs are often overlooked in bioarchaeological studies because of the difficult nature of analysis, despite their prevalence across the ancient world. Tombs Unar 1 (U1) and Unar 2 (U2), located in the United Arab Emirates, date to the Umm an-Nar period (2700-2000 BCE), when people witnessed shifts in mortuary practices likely reflective of broader changes in subsistence and social organization. A collaborative project that trains undergraduates in anthropological research has examined tomb membership for U1 and U2 by estimating MNI and sex. Despite early descriptions of U1 and U2 holding similar numbers of individuals, this project found that MNI was greater in U2 when counting non-duplicating elements from the talus (U1: 88; U2: 228), mandible (U1: 101; U2: 290), and petrous portion of the temporal (U1: 190; U2: 403) whether using landmark or zonation methods. Metric analyses of the humerus found a relatively similar proportion of males and females in each tomb (X2=0.06, df=1, p=0.81). While an assessment of the lateral angle of the internal auditory meatus and the mastoid process found greater numbers of women entombed in both tombs, there was no difference in sex distribution between the tombs (Fisher’s exact: p\u3e0.05 for both techniques). These results suggest that U2 was open to the interment of a larger number of individuals; however, while different sex estimation methods produced similar sex distributions between the tombs, the methods themselves varied considerably in estimating overall frequencies of males and females. Future research using additional sex estimation techniques is warranted.https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/present_yr1/1005/thumbnail.jp