Digital Commons Network^™

Historic Period Foodways In The Danish West Indies (1718-1917): The Zooarchaeological Evidence From Cinnamon Bay And The East End, St. John, Virgin Islands, Judith A. Sichler

Doctoral Dissertations

This research concerns the faunal remains from two sites on the former Danish island of St. John, now part of the United States Virgin Islands. The first site, Cinnamon Bay, a small-scale cotton plantation that was later incorporated into a larger sugar plantation, was occupied from 1718 to 1917. The East End, a provisioning estate and later free African community, was occupied from 1725 to 1950. Cinnamon Bay and the East End are significant to historic zooarchaeological research in the Caribbean for two reasons. First, the assemblages represent subsistence choices and procurement in two contrasting occupation types in the 18 …

Subsistence, Butchery, And Commercialization In Knox County, Tennessee, Rachel Jeannine Windham

Masters Theses

A multifaceted approach to zooarchaeology is used to attain a broader diachronic view of Upland South subsistence and market activities as commercialization increased nationwide. Greater beef consumption is evidenced through faunal remains as availability and affordability increase with technological advancements. Paralleling this trend is an increased acceptance and purchase of Georgian cuts (individual hams and beef steaks) gaining popularity over time.

In order to investigate this pattern, a sample of six historic archaeological sites in Knox County, Tennessee, differing in proximity to urban markets, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and temporal context was chosen. General time ranges from the late eighteenth through …

An Empirical Examination Of Frontal Sinus Outline Variability Using Elliptic Fourier Analysis: Implications For Identification, Standardization, And Legal Admissibility, Angi M. Christensen

Doctoral Dissertations

The comparison of frontal sinus radiographs for positive identification has become an increasingly applied and accepted technique among forensic anthropologists, radiologists, and pathologists. However, the current method of outline comparison by visual assessment fails to meet evidence admissibility guidelines as set forth in the 1993 case of Daubert v. Merrell-Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Specifically, no empirical testing of the uniqueness of frontal sinus outlines has ever been performed, there has been no evaluation of the probability of misidentification using the technique, there are no standards controlling the technique’s operation, and there are no subjective standards for confirming or rejecting a …

A Radiographic Study Of Third Molar Agenesis In A Sample From The American Midsouth, Alexandra Y. Hentisz

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of third molar agenesis in a sample from the American Midsouth. The sample included 118 black males, 115 black females, 100 white males and 100 white females. Panoramic radiographs of the dentition for each individual were studied to ascertain whether any of the third molars was congenitally absent. The results were submitted to statistical analysis.

The results showed that white males have a significantly higher propensity to be congenitally missing a third molar than black males, with p<0.001. Likewise, whites are more likely to be missing a third molar in the mandible than blacks, with p=0.007 in males and 0.041 in females. There was no significant difference between the sexes for each ancestry, nor was there a significant difference between sides.

The lower frequency of third molar agenesis in blacks (5.6%) compared to …

A Bioarchaeological Analysis Of Fains Island, Michaelyn Suzanne Harle

Masters Theses

The Fains Island site (40JE1) is a Late Mississippian, Dallas Phase site located in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Fains Island was excavated as a Works Progress Administration project in 1934. A total of 300, mostly mound based, burial features were recovered from the site. The purpose of this study is to present bioarchaeological data from Fains Island. Analysis was conducted for the total skeletal sample (N=338) in order to assess morbidity and mortality. Analytical techniques included aspects of paleodemography (through the use of a hazard model), and paleopathology (i.e., porotic hyperostosis, dental hypoplasia, periostitis, dental caries, trauma, and other descriptive pathological …

The Mountain Folk Of Rugby, Tennessee: An Archaeological And Historical Study Of The Massengale Home Site (40mo146), Kimberly S. Pyszka

Masters Theses

The town of Rugby, Tennessee was established in 1880 as an utopian colony for the middle and upper class "second-sons" of England. However, the English colonists were not the first to settle in this remote area. Settlement began in the 1820s with the earliest settlers being farmers who lived off the land producing virtually everything they needed to survive. One of these early families were the Massengales, who first owned land in the future Rugby area in the mid-1820s.

In an attempt to learn about the Massengale family, archaeological testing was conducted at their home site, located a short walk …

The Effects Of Sun And Shade On The Early Stages Of Human Decomposition, Carrie Srnka

Masters Theses

Existing literature on human decomposition has noted the importance of sun versus shade locations. To date, no study has focused on this variable exclusively. While the affects of temperature are becoming well recognized, there is conflicting information surrounding direct sunlight or lack thereof. Some researchers note that decomposition progresses faster in the sun, while others note that it is faster in the shade. The only existing study of such information was performed in the state of Washington using two pigs. Therefore, the goal of this study is to bridge the gap between animal and human decomposition and to note the …