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Ngala Kaditjiny ’Our Culture’, Barbara Bynder

Theses

In this study I explored some of the key components of Noongar cultural practice that remain embedded within Noongar society today yet have adapted, changed, and evolved over time and demonstrate that there remains a sense of duty and commitment among Noongar women to follow cultural values and value systems that determine rights, responsibility, and obligation during the practice of disputes.

The target group for this inquiry is Noongar women, The target group is made up of nine Noongar women who shared their personal story, a group of senior Noongar women called the Kookaburra Club who guided me through the …

Review Of Island Shores, Distant Pasts, Maggie M. Klemm

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of Island Shores, Distant Pasts by Scott Fitzpatrick and Ann Ross. 2010. University of Florida Press, Florida. ix + 201 pp. $26.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-8130-5468-1. Reviewed by Maggie M. Klemm, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Island Shores, Distant Pasts is an important read for archaeologists and anthropologists currently or potentially interested in studying Caribbean archaeology. This text contains current and relevant interdisciplinary research that will expand readers’ knowledge about human settlement and the timing of migration events in the Caribbean. A positive aspect of this book is that the authors discuss objective results from their research and avoid speculative conclusions. Additionally, …

Feminist Geography: Impact And Inclusion In Geographical Research, Michael Atuahene Djan

Nebraska Anthropologist

Feminist theories have significantly influenced the field of geography, challenging traditional notions of objectivity and shedding light on the intricate relationships between place, gender, and society. The emergence of feminist geography has been crucial in advocating for the inclusion of women's perspectives, countering historical marginalization in academic debates. This systematic review aims to summarize and assess the impact of feminist theory on geography, exploring topics such as gendered spaces, feminist methodologies, and the integration of women's voices in research. Utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Checklist, the study employed a thematic analysis of secondary sources. …

Review Of Soil Analysis In Forensic Taphonomy Chemical And Biological Effects Of Buried Human Remains, Erik Schulz

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of Soil Analysis in Forensic Taphonomy Chemical and Biological Effects of Buried Human Remains, edited by Mark Tibbett and David O. Carter. 2008. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, Florida. vii + 340 pp. US $47.35 (alk. paper), ISBN 978-1-4200-6991-4. Reviewed by Erik Schulz School of Global Integrative Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The content in this book is easy to read and understand as the authors and editors took time to simplify scientific terms and made sure to put the information in both scientific terms as well as simple enough for the public to understand. This …

Forensic Archaeology Protocols For Wildfires And Fire Related Scenes, Erik Schulz

Nebraska Anthropologist

Forensic Archaeology Protocols for Wildfires and Fire-Related Scenes

Forensic archaeology is a relatively new area of study and focuses on the medical legal aspects of archaeology. This paper will focus on how forensic archaeology should be used for wildfire and other fire-related fatalities or investigations, what happens to bone when exposed to heat, what protocols should be in place and how an excavation should look, and finally the challenges of fire-related investigations. This report will focus on the larger scale of the investigation and will be using several sources from different wildfire and fire fatality reports.

Review Of Vanished: The Sixty-Year Search For The Missing Men Of World War Ii, Mack Cristino

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of Vanished: The Sixty-Year Search for the Missing Men of World War II by Wil S. Hylton. 2013. Riverhead Books, New York. xiii + pp. 239. $27.95 (cloth), ISBN 978-1-59448-727-9. Reviewed by Mack Cristino, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Scannon’s mission approach was one of social and expert collaboration. Scannon valued the stories, memories, and accounts of the indigenous Palauan peoples and the families of the missing crew. He also sat down to interview and visit fellow Long Ranger veterans of the 307th Bombardment group. Scannon goes on to share that these accounts were invaluable to the search for the …

Revew Of Forensic Anthropology: A Comprehensive Introduction, John O. Obafunwa, William R. Belcher

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of Forensic Anthropology: A Comprehensive Introduction edited by Natalie R. Langley and Maria Teresa A. Tersigni-Tarrant. 2017, 2nd Edition. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, Florida, USA. ISBN: 13: 978-1-4987-3612-1 (Hardback). Reviewed by John O. Obafunwa and William R. Belcher, School of Global Integrative Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Overall, this text fits very well into the body of literature in forensic anthropology and has largely addressed the purpose for undergraduate and graduate courses. It is not overly technical, and it is good for undergraduate teaching and practical work. The reviewers would also recommend it to graduate …

Review Of Atlas Of Human Cranial Macromorphoscopic Traits, Patrick Barchett

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of Atlas of Human Cranial Macromorphoscopic Traits by Joseph T. Hefner and Kandus C. Linde. 2018. Academic Press, Cambridge. XXXI + 324 pp. $150 hardcover or $0 PDF on ResearchGate. 978-0-12-814385-8. Reviewed by Patrick Barchett, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

In the authors' concluding remarks, they address that, while they have many samples and photographs, they could not ever hope to provide the full context of human variation. With an estimated 107 billion people who are alive and have ever lived, this understanding is more important than ever. The authors also include that there is very little known about the connections …

Inter- And Intra-Observer Error In Forensic Anthropology: Based Upon Langley Et Al. 2016 Data Collection Procedures For Forensic Skeletal Material 2.0 For The Cranium And Femur, Maggie M. Klemm, Dakota L. Taylor

Nebraska Anthropologist

Following the Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals (1993) ruling three decades ago, guidelines were established for determining the reliability and validity of expert testimony in court. These guidelines include considerations of whether the theory and methodologies employed have been tested, the establishment of potential or known error rates, and the existence and maintenance of the standards (Christensen, 2004). Testifying in court as an expert witness has become a critical role as a forensic anthropologist. As such, the methodologies, techniques, and standards utilized by forensic anthropologists must be carefully considered and adhere to the Daubert guidelines within the court system. One …

Ua12/2/84 Sigma Chi, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Sigma Phi Alpha fraternity and it's forerunner Sigma Chi.

Ua12/2/82 Phi Beta Sigma, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Ua12/2/85 Sigma Gamma Rho, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.

Ua1c11/127 Stephen Flora Photo Collection, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Photographs donated by WKU alumnus Stephen Flora, taken for class and College Heights Herald.

(Plant)Ing Traditional Roots: Exploring An Impact Of Environmental Shifts On Traditional Phytotherapy Practices In The Cusco Region Of Perú, Nicole Elizabeth Wilmot

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the potential outcomes of environmental shifts on plant-based medical practices in the Cusco region of Peru. Located in the Andes mountain range, at a high elevation, the environment varies immensely, specifically in the various types of native plants in the region. Historically, using plants as natural forms of medicine or healthcare has been deeply rooted in many indigenous communities, traditions, and cultures globally. Environmentally, there have been potential changes and shifts in temperature, water, and soil that affect the nutrition and health of plants to maintain their beneficial properties. Due to various factors, adaptations or shifts to …

A Failure Or Success?: A Qualitative Analysis Of Post-Disaster Relocation Among Survivors Of 2010 Floods In Pakistan, Muhammad Siddique Akbar, Saeed Ahmad, Muhammad Rizwan Safdar, Farhan Navid Yousaf

Sociology and Anthropology Student Research

In Pakistan, the enormous 2010 floods inflicted unprecedented destruction to 0.5 million houses in South Punjab. This study was conducted in Muzaffargarh, a district of the Punjab province of Pakistan, one of the worst affected areas during the 2010 floods. As an adaptation and disaster risk reduction measure, an International NGO in collaboration with the Government of the Punjab province constructed 1274 houses for flood-affected communities. The houses were allocated through a lottery method. Initially, the allottees moved to the new settlements for the sake of possession. However, over time, it was observed that many flood-affected individuals sold out or …

Project 400: The Plymouth Colony Archaeological Survey Report On The 2019 And 2021 Field Seasons Burial Hill And Carver Street, Plymouth, Massachusetts, Christa M. Beranek, David B. Landon

Andrew Fiske Memorial Center for Archaeological Research Publications

In May and June of 2019 and 2021, a field school from the Fiske Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Massachusetts Boston, in partnership with Plimoth Patuxet Museums (formerly Plimoth Plantation) and the Town of Plymouth, undertook their final two seasons of work as part of Project 400: The Plymouth Colony Archaeological Survey. Excavations had been taking place yearly in Plymouth since the summer of 2013. The 400th anniversary (1620- 2020) of the founding of Plymouth Colony, New England’s first permanent English settlement, provides a unique opportunity to revisit our scholarly understanding of the Colony’s history. Working with …

From Mind To Matter: Patterns Of Innovation In The Archaeological Record And The Ecology Of Social Learning, Kathryn Demps, Nicole M. Herzog, Matt Clark

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Archaeology and cultural evolution theory both predict that environmental variation and population size drive the likelihood of inventions (via individual learning) and their conversion to population-wide innovations (via social uptake). We use the case study of the adoption of the bow and arrow in the Great Basin to infer how patterns of cultural variation, invention, and innovation affect investment in new technologies over time and the conditions under which we could predict cultural innovation to occur. Using an agent-based simulation to investigate the conditions that manifest in the innovation of technology, we find the following: (1) increasing ecological variation results …

Presenting Past People: Storytelling Through Prehistoric Garment Reconstructions, Floor Huisman, Anna Zimmermann, Ronja Lau, Karina Grömer

Textile Crossroads: Exploring European Clothing, Identity, and Culture across Millennia

This paper argues that we need to focus on past people (rather than just objects) in our narratives and museum displays to engage museum visitors more effectively. It will demonstrate that we can use a combination of well-researched physical and digital prehistoric garment reconstructions to implement more people-centered approaches also used in living history, which bring the past to life and allow visitors to literally come face-to-face with long-dead people. In this way, visitors can relate to past people on an emotional level, which helps them to learn much more about past life than many traditional displays. After outlining how …

Frontmatter For Textile Crossroads: Exploring European Clothing, Identity, And Culture Across Millennia, Kerstin Droß-Krüpe, Louise Quillien, Kalliope Sarri

Textile Crossroads: Exploring European Clothing, Identity, and Culture across Millennia

Title and copyright pages, Acknowledgments, Contents, Prefaces.

We believe this volume has the potential to contribute to the advancement of European scientific excellence and competitiveness, fostering a deeper understanding of the cultural, technological, and societal significance of textiles and clothing in shaping European identity and heritage through the millenia. We hope that the anthology will find a wide and interested readership, and that it will inspire many new research projects in the field of textile history.

Technical And Technological Analyses Of Excavated Textiles, Christina Margariti, Judith Goris, Petra Linscheid, Agata Ulanowska

Textile Crossroads: Exploring European Clothing, Identity, and Culture across Millennia

Textiles are particularly complex and labor-intensive structures, thus their constructive elements, such as fibers and yarns, as well as the final textile products (e.g., threads, cords, fabrics, and applied decoration) reveal a range of important technical, technological, and sociocultural information. In this paper, we discuss the analysis of excavated textiles at two levels:

1) Technical analysis that offers basic information about the qualities of examined textile samples.

2) Technological analysis that provides insights into technology, social relations of production, and the level of craft specialization or production modes.

Both analyses offer new evidence for environmental resources, sustainability, trade, and exchange, …

Investigating Organic Colorants Across Time: Interdisciplinary Insights Into The Use Of Madder, Indigo/Woad, And Weld In Historical Written Sources, Archaeological Textiles, And Ancient Polychromy, Paula Nabais, Cecilie Brøns, Magdalena M. Wozniak

Textile Crossroads: Exploring European Clothing, Identity, and Culture across Millennia

Organic dyes have been used from the earliest times to provide color primarily to textiles, but also as a colorant in painting. Such organic dyes could create a wealth of colors, depending on the availability and know-how of resources. These dyes are usually organic in nature, and primarily obtained from different plant sources. Unfortunately, the characterization of natural organic colorants in textiles and artworks is still a challenge. The difficulty of analyzing these materials is sometimes allied to the frequent impossibility of micro-sampling, and the frailty of the objects. Many techniques, such as HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) and SERS (Surface-Enhanced …

Towards Textile Narratives: A Cross-Over Perspective On Textile Imagery In Statuary, Iconography, And Literature, Leyre Morgado-Roncal, Juliane Müller, Marisa Kerbizi

Textile Crossroads: Exploring European Clothing, Identity, and Culture across Millennia

Textiles and clothing constitute a fundamental element of our cultural past, present, and future. Therefore, they were also represented in many mediums, such as iconographic depictions and literature. Images are a source of visual and mental illustration and are often dependent on the viewer’s perspective. As a result, the representations of textiles convey social constructions and their cultural perception. Their study is the focal point of this article: The ways in which textiles and clothing are described by the imagery shown in Greek and Roman statuary and iconography, as well as in contemporary Albanian literature and mythology.

Representations illustrate the …

Young Romans: Status, Dress, And Gender, Mary Harlow, Lena Larsson Lovén

Textile Crossroads: Exploring European Clothing, Identity, and Culture across Millennia

The demographics of the Roman world suggest that it was a world full of children. Demographers argue that in order simply to maintain population levels in a period where life expectancy was very short by modern standards, and infant mortality high, a woman should, on average, have six children, on the assumption that not all would live to adulthood. Despite much research in the last fifty years, children still remain partly invisible in the Roman world. This is primarily because they leave little evidence produced by themselves and are seen through the prism of adult eyes. Inevitably, given the nature …

Narrative And Material Tools Of Resistance: Mobilizing Textile Crafts, Heritage, And Fashion In The Context Of The Invasion Of Ukraine (2022–2023), Magali-An Berthon, Sophia Hayda, Tetiana Krupa, Yuliia Lazorenko, Marie-Louise Nosch

Textile Crossroads: Exploring European Clothing, Identity, and Culture across Millennia

In 2022–2024, textile and fashion scholars came together to write an anthology sharing a new vision of European history as seen through textiles, in the COST Action EuroWeb. During this period, the continent was still dealing with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and was then faced with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Contemporary European history will be markedly defined by the ongoing war in Ukraine. One remarkable aspect of this conflict is the way textiles and dress appear daily in a variety of media outlets, mobilized as visual and semiotic means to communicate issues of war …

A Sensory Perspective On High-Ranked Women’S Dress In The 8th To 4th Century Bc In The Mediterranean And Central Europe, Karina Grömer, Susanna Harris, Audrey Gouy, Cecilie Brøns

Textile Crossroads: Exploring European Clothing, Identity, and Culture across Millennia

In the late 20th century, the study of western science was dominated by a philosophical approach to evidence as text and meaning. In archaeology, material culture was treated like text, to be read through systems of signs, symbols, and indices put together in syntax. For studies of dress, this was influential in understanding dress as a cognitive system compiled to create identities and meaning. In this approach, textiles, fastenings, hairstyles, and gestures are presented as signs and symbols used to form a statement about identity, to be read by others. There was a focus on the visuality of dress and …

Survival Strategies: Human Adaptation To Environmental Change, Julie Lozano

Open Educational Resources

This assignment explores human adaptation to environmental change by examining genetic, physiological, and cultural responses in various populations. Through case studies from geographically diverse regions, the research highlights how genetic adaptations such as metabolic changes, physiological traits like thermoregulation, and cultural practices involving diet and shelter have contributed to human survival in challenging ecosystems. The study compares these adaptations across different populations, analyzing the interplay between environment and evolutionary traits.

An Examination Of Homo Naledi Early Juveniles Recovered From The Rising Star Cave System, South Africa, Juliet K. Brophy, Debra R. Bolter, Marina Elliott, John Hawks, Lee R. Berger

Faculty Publications

Background: Six Homo naledi early juveniles were recovered from U.W. 101 (Dinaledi Chamber), U.W. 102 (Lesedi Chamber), and U.W. 110 in the Rising Star cave system. Aim: This paper develops the information for the H. naledi early juvenile life stage, as defined by a combination of deciduous and permanent dentition, and the eruption of the first permanent molar. Subjects and methods: The growing number of young individuals recovered from the Rising Star cave system allows us to gain a better understanding of their variation, or lack thereof, and provides a basis to estimate broad ranges for age at death of …

Human–Environment Interactions At Ta’Ab Nuk Na, A Submerged Maya Salt Works Site In Belize, Cheryl M. Foster, Heather Mckillop, E. Cory Sills

Faculty Publications

Sea-level rise and settlement are investigated at Ta’ab Nuk Na, an ancient Maya salt works in Belize, by examining samples from wooden posts and marine sediment. The samples included Post 145 of Building B and the Nunavut beam, along with marine sediment columns cut from beside both wooden posts. The sediment columns were sampled at 2 cm intervals. Loss-on ignition confirmed the presence of organic material. Identifying the organic content involved removing nonorganic material from the sediment and sorting the organic material under magnification. This procedure established that most of the organic material was red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle). Red mangroves …

Flooded Mangrove Landscapes Hide Ancient Maya Coastal Sites In Belize, Heather I. Mckillop

Faculty Publications

Evidence of ancient Maya exploitation of salt, other marine resources, settlement, and sea trade is hidden in flooded mangrove landscapes on the cays, mainland, and in shallow offshore locations on the south coast of Belize. This article includes a discussion of the coastal economy from the Middle Preclassic through the Postclassic periods (600 B.C.–A.D. 1500). Data from sites discovered and excavated since 1982 in the coastal area of the Port Honduras and Paynes Creek National Park support a model of coastal reliance on marine resources and tree crops. The need for a regular supply of coastal salt to inland cities …

Dpal-Bert: A Faster And Lighter Question Answering Model, Lirong Yin, Lei Wang, Zhuohang Cai, Siyu Lu, Ruiyang Wang, Ahmed Alsanad, Salman A. Alqahtani, Xiaobing Chen, Zhengtong Yin, Xiaolu Li, Wenfeng Zheng

Faculty Publications

Recent advancements in natural language processing have given rise to numerous pre-training language models in question-answering systems. However, with the constant evolution of algorithms, data, and computing power, the increasing size and complexity of these models have led to increased training costs and reduced efficiency. This study aims to minimize the inference time of such models while maintaining computational performance. It also proposes a novel Distillation model for PAL-BERT (DPAL-BERT), specifically, employs knowledge distillation, using the PAL-BERT model as the teacher model to train two student models: DPAL-BERT-Bi and DPAL-BERT-C. This research enhances the dataset through techniques such as masking, …