Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons^™

Climate Change And Human Responses, Caroline Znachko, Armando Anzellini, Katherine Parker, Christa Hicks

Anthropology Publications and Other Works

The Department of Anthropology’s Visiting Lecture Research Series is an ongoing edited volume compiling research products created by (under)graduate students for the Department of Anthropology’s Visiting Lecture Program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Each volume in the series, compiled by its own (under)graduate student editors and approved by the Department Head, includes original research products by participating (under)graduate students.

The Department of Anthropology’s Visiting Lecture Program, also known as Current Trends in Anthropology (ANTH357/550), is a symposium held annually each fall semester with a different theme for the purpose of exposing students to anthropologists from around the world and …

Age And Inclusivity In Umm An-Nar Communal Tombs From Southeastern Arabia, Lesley A. Gregoricka, Jaime M. Ullinger, Christian Berends, Alyssa Bolster, Brittany Clark, Hannah Jeanlouis, Urvi Kaul, Rachael Orkin

Year 2: AABA 2022 – Denver, CO

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 …

Remote Analysis Capabilities Of Digitally Rendered Models Of Human Remains: Obtaining Osteometric Data & Assessing Pathology And Taphonomic Alteration - Using Non-Human Animal Remains As An Analogue, M. Elizabeth Dyess

2022 Symposium

Computed tomography (CT), photogrammetry, and laser surface scanning technologies have enabled remote, noninvasive, and non-destructive analysis of skeletal human remains in various contexts. Such technologies have found applications in the disciplines of osteoarchaeology, forensic anthropology, the medical sciences, and other related fields of inquiry. This presentation will discuss the accuracy and reliability of osteometric data obtained from digitally rendered models, as well as the clarity and level of detail attained. Such qualifying standards are essential if practitioners are to reliably assess pathology and taphonomic alteration to the specimens from which the scans are modeled. The suitability of each of the …

National Barriers Impeding The Implementation Of Nagpra: Suggestions From A Small Institution, Zoe Milburn

Honors Program Theses

This thesis focuses on the impact and unrealized potentials of NAGPRA for Indigenous Americans and professional archaeologists following the first thirty years of the law’s existence. After providing some necessary background on the NAGPRA legislation and the context of the law’s passage, I examine these issues through three distinct methods. The first method focuses on a review of published Indigenous and archaeological literature to identify changes in sentiment around the law as well as to identify known hurdles within the process. The second revolves around my experience preparing a NAGPRA inventory for the Rollins College Archaeology Lab. Specifically, I reflect …

The Effects Humidity & Temperature Has On Dna Contamination During Storage, Samantha L. Ramey

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Studies have been conducted on DNA cross-contamination throughout the criminal investigation process in order to evaluation the possibility that DNA from one sample could potentially influence the outcome of another. However, no published studies have examined the potential for contamination during the storage of genetic evidence after samples have been taken from crime scenes or suspects. This study is a continuation of a preliminary project, which examined storage drying time in relation to cross-contamination. The current study tested temperature and humidity for the potential of cross-contamination during storage prior to extraction. Prior to storage, 50 μl of male saliva was …

A Comprehensive Forensic Case Report With The University Of Montana Forensic Anthropology Lab University Of Montana Forensic Case #167, Tyler J. Trettin

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This report consists of an inventory of the skeletal remains of case# 167, assessment of the minimum number of individuals (MNI), a biological profile if possible, and a literature review of the assessment and understanding of ballistic trauma. The skeletal remains are consistent with an MNI of one. The remains are likely from a male individual, and skeletal features are representative of a person of Caucasian ancestry. The individual is estimated to be between of 35-65 years old with an estimated stature of between 5’5” and 5’9”.

Utilizing Geographic Information Systems To Explore The Mortuary Landscape At Kuelap, Peru, Hannah Haynes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The placement of the dead is important for considering social memory, a source of collective knowledge and experiences that shapes social group identity. Mortuary placement is one form of ritual action that communities undertake to remember the dead. This allows anthropologists to ask questions about how humans engaged socially with each other and the landscape. This thesis utilizes an innovative methodological approach combining geographic information systems (GIS) and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis to investigate mortuary variation and social identity within the Late Intermediate Period site (A.D. 800 – 1535) Kuelap in the northern Peruvian Andes. Spatial, demographic, and …

Analyzing Cut Mark Characteristics On Bone From Chopping/Hacking Tools: Implications For Forensic Analysis, Kelly Mcgehee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Sharp force trauma (SFT) is a mechanism of traumatic injury in which a tool with a pointed or slanted edge impacts the skin and/or bone, producing a penetrating cut mark. Current assessment of forensic and bioarchaeological contexts typically focuses on evaluating and interpreting traumatic injuries to bone due to cutting and stabbing using small, bladed tools, primarily knives and saws. Minimal research focuses on the damage inflicted by a larger class of chopping/hacking tools. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to experimentally evaluate and analyze macroscopic characteristics of chopping/hacking trauma inflicted on pig bones (Sus scrofa domesticus) to determine …

A Transition From Tradition: Employing Ta3 And Traditional Age & Sex Estimation Methods To Study Paleodemography In Umm An-Nar Arabia, Alyssa Bolster, Hannah Jeanlouis, Lesley A. Gregoricka, Jaime M. Ullinger

Year 2: AABA 2022 – Denver, CO

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 …

Estimating Age From Fetal And Young Nonadults From Basilar Portions At Umm An-Nar Tombs From The Uae, Rachael Orkin, Christian Berends, Lesley A. Gregoricka, Jaime M. Ullinger

Year 2: AABA 2022 – Denver, CO

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 …

Analyzing The Prevalence And Severity Of Cribra Orbitalia In Bronze Age Arabia, Urvi Kaul, Brittany Clark, Lesley A. Gregoricka, Jaime M. Ullinger

Year 2: AABA 2022 – Denver, CO

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 …

Preliminary Study In More Effective Utilization Of 87sr/86sr Analysis In The Field Of Forensic Anthropology, Samantha Powers

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Isotopic analyses are gaining attention in the field of anthropology. The current utilization of strontium isotopes primarily focuses on residence and migration patterns of past populations extracting data from tooth enamel to indicate early-life residence This study aims to identify a skeletal feature to be set as a field standard in strontium analysis of modern remains when seeking end-of-life residence, the impact of diagenesis on modern remains, and to test the accuracy of the petrous as an alternative to tooth enamel.

The results of this research were unable to suggest such a standard but gathered helpful data to be used …

Exploring The Relationship Between Nutrition And Cribra Orbitalia: The Comparison Of Dietary Stable Isotope Comparisons Of Juveniles From Kuelap, Peru, Lissette S. Osorio

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A juvenile’s dependency on their caregiver is significant to the overall development of nutritionally related pathological lesions. However, not all skeletal pathology is caused by nutritional stress; despite anemia being the usual inferred cause, the origin of Cribra Orbitalia (CO) – lesions on the orbital roofs of the cranium– is undetermined. The purpose of this research is to compare the reconstructed diets of juveniles with and without CO and explore connections to dietary patterns (inferred from stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen). Rib bone samples of 79 juveniles with and without CO were sampled from the Kuelap archaeological site …

The Interdisciplinary Study Of Genetically Modified Salmon And Their Effects On The Environment And Indigenous Communities, Victoria Fair, Kaydee Mittleider

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This project is an interdisciplinary view of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), specifically GMO salmon, through a biological, anthropological, and economic lens. The interconnection of these disciplines is shown through looking at GMO salmon and aquaculture effects on the Lummi Nation and the environment, while taking a close look at the first company to be approved for GMO salmon for human consumption that occurred in 2015 and the processes that are involved for approval of GMOs. The essay, through a biological lens, will explore the importance of salmon and their role in the ecosystem. Through an anthropological lens a discussion of …

Morphometric Ancestral Analysis Of Infraorbital Foramen And Maxillo-Facial Landmarks Of Adult North American Skulls Using X-Ray And Computed Tomography Scans, Anna-Marie Lynn David

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Skeletal remains provide a variety of information about a species population and the sub populations within that species. The infraorbital foramen has previously been used to understand dietary niches, paleoecology, the nervous system, and the effect of the nervous system on other bone functions in the facial region in humans and other mammals. In medicine, the precise location of the infraorbital foramen has been studied to aid and guide maxillo-facial procedures and surgeries. In this research project, the null hypothesis states that the placement and location of the infraorbital foramen in relation to other facial landmarks were the same between …

The Naming Of Homo Bodoensis By Roksandic And Colleagues Does Not Resolve Issues Surrounding Middle Pleistocene Human Evolution, Eric Delson, Chris Stringer

Publications and Research

Roksandic et al. (2022) proposed the new species name Homo bodoensis as a replacement name for Homo rhodesiensis Woodward, 1921, because they felt it was poorly and variably defined and was linked to sociopolitical baggage. However, the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature includes regulations on how and when such name changes are allowed, and Roksandic et al.'s arguments meet none of these requirements. It is not permitted to change a name solely because of variable (or erroneous) later use once it has been originally defined correctly, nor can a name be modified because it is offensive to one or more …

"Bonobo" Rights For All: Using A Primatological Approach To Secure Gender Equity, Francesca V.E. Kaser

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Western patriarchy sustains male-dominance and perpetuates gender inequity. While there have been great achievements toward gender equity, women are burdened to navigate a society that upholds male success. Equality offers individuals the same opportunities, but often falls short in delivering equal outcomes because of historic and systemic male privileges conserved by patriarchy. Equity, on the other hand, ensures that fair opportunities effect equal outcomes to rectify systemic injustices. To reconstruct women’s role in society, our closest living relatives, patriarchal chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and matriarchal bonobos (Pan paniscus), allow humans to compare the role of females in …

Anthropological Responses To Covid-19 In The Philippines, Gideon Lasco

Development Studies Faculty Publications

This article reflects on the roles anthropologists have played in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, and identifies the challenges – from the methodological to the political – they faced in fulfilling these roles. Drawing on the author's personal and professional experiences in the country, as well as on interviews with other anthropologists, this article identifies three major roles for anthropologists: conducting ethnographic research; bearing witness to the pandemic through first-person accounts; and engaging various publics. All these activities have contributed to a greater recognition of the role of the social sciences in health crises, even as anthropologists …

‘Loob’ And ‘Labas’: Spatial Constructions Of Safety And Risk Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic In The Philippines, Gideon Lasco, Michael L. Tan, Vincen Gregory Yu

Development Studies Faculty Publications

This article argues that local constructions of risky and safe spaces, as articulated by the notions ‘loob’ (inside) and ‘labas’ (outside), informed popular and political responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, leading to an overemphasis on staying at home and, conversely, a general avoidance or fear of outdoor spaces that was at times reinforced by public health authorities. Practices and policies related to the pandemic response rendered this binary opposition between ‘loob’ and ‘labas’ visible, from regulations concerning the use of personal protective equipment to restrictions of access to outdoor spaces. While this emergent …

Pore Extractor 2d: An Imagej Toolkit For Quantifying Cortical Pore Morphometry On Histological Bone Images, With Application To Intraskeletal And Regional Patterning, Mary E. Cole, Sam D. Stout, Victoria M. Dominguez, Amanda M. Agnew

Publications and Research

Objectives: Cortical porosity is used as a proxy of bone quality, fragility, and remo- deling activity in anthropological contexts. Histological quantification is limited by time-intensive manual annotation. Pore Extractor 2D is an ImageJ toolkit developed for computer-assisted pore identification and automated pore morphometry. Materials and Methods: Toolkit components include: (1) Utilities for cortical border clearing, (2) Image Pre-Processing: Image contrast enhancement and noise reduction, (3) Pore Extractor: User-directed options for segmenting, closing, and smoothing pore spaces, (4) Pore Modifier: Utilities to expedite manual correction of extracted pore spaces, and (5) Pore Analyzer: Morphometric analyses by pore type and anatomical region. …