Digital Commons Network^™

Namoluk Onomatology: Two Centuries Of Personal Naming Practices, Mac Marshall

Pacific Studies

This paper explores the personal naming practices on Namoluk Atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia, with a focus on how these practices reflect and shape individual identity and social change. The study confirms the singularity of personal names on Namoluk, contrasting this with name-recycling systems found in other Oceanic societies. The study highlights the adaptability of naming as a cultural practice and its role in mediating between tradition and modernity.

Naming And Social Life: The Case Of The Pinuyumayan (Puyuma) People In Eastern Taiwan, Wen-Te Chen

Pacific Studies

This study examines the complex relationship between personal names, personhood, and social life among the Pinuyumayan people of eastern Taiwan, contextualizing their practices within broader cross-cultural naming patterns. By examining naming practices throughout the life course, the research demonstrates how naming systems integrate various social domains including kinship, community organization, and gender relations. This analysis reveals how naming practices serve as critical indicators of social development and cultural values in Pinuyumayan society.

Entering God’S Family: The Adoption Of Christian Names In The Early Bunun Presbyterian Church, Eastern Taiwan, Chun-Wei Fang

Pacific Studies

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in eastern Taiwan, this paper reconsiders the Bunun naming system, exploring how the adoption of Christian names among the Bunun reflects not passive cultural assimilation but active engagement with social change. This case study contributes to broader discussions on indigenization, religious conversion, and the role of naming in mediating cultural continuity and change.

“I Am A Grandparent And My Name Is Good”: Status, Food, And Gender Among The Kelabit Of Sarawak, Monica Janowski

Pacific Studies

This study examines the complex address and reference system of the Kelabit people of Central Borneo, focusing on how naming practices reflect and reinforce kinship structures, gender differentiation, and social status. The research analyzes how the elaborate Kelabit naming system, distinct from other Apo Duat groups, emphasizes parental and grandparental roles. The study also demonstrates how the Kelabit system has evolved uniquely while maintaining connections to traditional environmental relationships. This analysis reveals how naming practices serve as key indicators of social organization and cultural identity in Kelabit society.

Vol. 39 No. 1/2 (2016): Pacific Studies Full Issue, The Jonathan Nāpela Center For Hawaiian And Pacific Islands Studies

Pacific Studies

Pacific Studies is published two times a year by The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies, Brigham Young University Hawai‘i #1979, 55–220 Kulanui Street, Lāʻie, Hawai‘i 96762, but responsibility for opinions expressed in the articles rests with the authors alone. Subscription rate is US$40.00 yearly, payable to The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies. The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies (formerly The Pacific Institute) is an organization funded by Brigham Young University Hawai‘i. The Center assists the University in meeting its cultural and educational goals by undertaking a program of teaching, research, and …

Social And Scientific Implications Of Genetic Testing In The Digital Age, Yaruska A. Ordinola

Senior Honors Projects

From Mendel’s law of inheritance in the 19th century through Watson and Crick’s revolutionary observations of the double helix in the 20th century, genetics has been a fascinating and continuing topic of discussion in the field of science (Collins & McKusick, 2001). Major studies like the Human Genome Project (HGP), initiated in 1990 and completed in 2003, provided a starting point from which scientists could more thoroughly investigate the human condition on a genetic level. Arising from this study, personal genomics is considered a blooming field in genetics- in which rapidly developing technological advances are able to provide easier and …

Recreating Richard Iii: The Power Of Tudor Propaganda, Heather Alexander

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Because it signified the violent transition from the Plantagenet to Tudor dynasty, the death of King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth’s Field was a monumental event. After five centuries, his skeleton was rediscovered by an archaeological team at a site, formerly the location of the Greyfriars Priory Church. The presentation uses the forensic evidence to examine the extent to which the perceived image of Richard III is the result of Tudor propaganda.

A Gnawing Problem: Does Rodent Incisor Microwear Record Diet Or Habitat?, Salvatore Samuel Caporale

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dental microwear has been shown to reflect food preferences and habitat in extant vertebrates, and its analysis has been applied to fossil assemblages to infer paleodiet and paleoenvironment. Such reconstructions are, of course, only as good as the extant baseline used to infer relationships between wear pattern and diet/habitat. This study tests, through dental microwear texture analysis, the potential of modern rodent lower incisors to reveal those relationships, and evaluates the extent to which effects of diet and habitat can be parsed from the signal. Microwear texture profiles were created for individual lower rodent incisors (n=430) using confocal profilometry and …

The Impact Of Mycobacterium Leprae: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Of The Paleopathological Literature, Mallory Alexis Schreier

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Leprosy, caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis, is a chronic, infectious disease that eventually causes disfiguring skin lesions, nerve damage, and muscle weakness. Even though leprosy has been nearly eliminated in many parts of the world today, it remains endemic in India, Myanmar, Nepal, Brazil, and a few African countries. Unfortunately, this infectious disease is not limited to just modern populations. In the past, leprosy spread globally and was a pervasive, degenerating disease. The literature traces leprosy back to 1550 BCE although there is possible skeletal evidence of leprosy in Rajasthan, India from 2000 BCE, suggesting …

Reading Between The Lines: Indicators Of Developmental Stress In Prehistoric Ohio Valley Children From Linear Enamel Hypoplasias, Emily Moes

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

A large body of research in bioarchaeology focuses on the changes in the human skeleton associated with the introduction of agriculture. It is assumed that the intensification of agriculture results in an increase in physiological stress and poor health. However, previous studies have shown that stress experiences cannot be generalized by subsistence strategy and prevalence comparisons alone. Rather, age-at and duration of stress events are necessary to construct patterns of health.

Linear enamel hypoplasias (LEH) of subadult permanent dentition serve as a proxy for understanding health and stress in archaeological populations. LEH are defects in enamel, characterized by an increased …

Ceramic Diversity And Its Relation To Access To Market For Slaves On A Plantation, Rebecca L. Aucoin

Honors Theses

A study of the diversity of ceramics found on a plantation at a slave house in relation to the access to market that slave had could lead to a better understanding of the life and culture of slaves. A high diversity of ceramics at sites might indicate slaves purchased their own ceramics. At a number of sites located in the Natchez District in Mississippi, a study was conducted to identify samples of ceramic sherds to determine if slaves were able to purchase their own dish ware. The results of the study indicated that slaves at Mount Locust Plantation likely had …

Archaeological Potential Of The Rio Grande Valley: A Look At Brazos Island With A Historical Focus On The Civil War, Robin L. Galloso

Theses and Dissertations

The history of the Rio Grande Valley and the role it played in the Civil War is a developing field for both history and archaeology. This work helps to fill the existing gap that is present in academia and shows the archaeological and historical potential of this unique coastal area. The Brazos Island was heavily used during the Civil War by both the Confederacy and the Union. This thesis shows the rich history of Brazos Island and its archaeological potential through a multi-interdisciplinary lens, although rooted in the field of history. It covers a brief overview of the road to …

Differential Maya Economies: A Comparative Zooarchaeological Study Of Political Economies At The Postclassic Site Of Mayapán, Katarina Spero

Anthropology

Previous research on the archaeological site of Mayapán , the las t political capital of the Maya, located in the N orthwest of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula , has focused mainly on urban life and the monumental architecture of the city center. In the 1950s the Carnegie Institution of Washington initially mapped and investigated Mayapán but the more recent contributions of both the Mexican government’s National Institute of Anthrop ology and History (INAH) and the Economic Foundations of Mayapán Project (PEMY) have greatly expanded current knowledge regarding the social, political, and economic organization of the population that once inhabited the metropolis …

The Investigation Of Dna And Rna Structural Differences Using Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography, Evanna Lerouge, Maria Basanta-Sanchez, Srivathsan V. Ranganathan

Anthropology

DNA and RNA chromatography is extensively used for nucleic acid analysis. To better understand the chromatographic mechanisms by which DNA and RNA oligonucleotides are separated, ion pair reverse-pair ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (IP RP UHPLC) methods were developed. 11mer and 12mer DNA and RNA oligonucleotides of various compositions were used during this study. The first part of this study analyzed 11mer DNA and RNA oligonucleotides to better understand the chromatographic separations of DNA and RNA. The results gathered through the IP RP UHPLC analysis of these oligonucleotides demonstrated the existence of structural features that affect the chromatographic separations of DNA …

Sex Differences In Calbindin-D28k Expressing Cells In The Brains Of Progesterone Receptor Knock Out Mice, Alexandria Sarenski

Anthropology

No abstract provided.

Commingled Tombs And Arcgis: Analyzing The Mortuary Context And Taphonomy At Bronze Age Tell Abraq, Maryann Calleja

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The use of global positioning systems (GPS) and mapping software are commonplace in today’s archaeology. Artifacts and human remains can be plotted on maps and digitized immediately on sites allowing for instant analysis. Yet, the use of GPS in some locations may not be feasible due to natural or human-made terrain features such as canopy cover, densely built urban environments, caves, or other environments where satellite access may be limited. Additionally, prior to the widespread use of GPS, field archaeologists had to rely solely upon systematic, detailed notes and sketches. Such was the case at the Bronze Age tomb at …

Medieval Nemea: Building A Public Digital Resource, Lauren A. Vagts, Effie Athanassopoulos

UCARE: Research Products

This site presents medieval ceramics from the excavations at the site of Nemea, in southern Greece. We have created a digital resource with results and artifacts from archaeological excavations conducted in the 1970s and 1980s, which have remained unpublished. The website incorporates a variety of materials, including excavation notebooks, maps, data bases, photographs, and 3D models of ceramics. Omeka was selected as the software for this project for several reasons. Omeka offers the Dublin Core metadata as a way to standardize and organize digital data, allowing its users access to a well-developed platform. Omeka is also an open source software …

A Pilot Study For Examining Population Movement During The Peri-Medieval Climatic Anomaly In The Nebraska Sand Hills, Nora C. Greiman

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

The Sand Hills of Nebraska comprise a dynamic environment of sand dunes that has changed much over the millennia since their formation. Periods of dune reactivation have occurred throughout history, including one such period at approximately A.D. 900-1300 associated with the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (MCA). Much is known about the geologic activity during this period but little is known about how human populations responded to changing environments. I examine the chronology of three sites occupied during the peri-MCA and the change or stasis in population movements via chemical characterization of ceramic artifacts. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating was performed on …

A Gis-Based Investigation Into Social Violence And Settlement Patterns In The Gallina Area Of The American Southwest, Adam Muir Byrd

Anthropology ETDs

The Gallina area is an ideal location for an investigation into social violence using GIS-based methods. Situated in northern New Mexico, the remote Gallina region and the Gallina phase (A.D. 1100\u20131300) in particular have a clear record of violence that peaked in the latter half of the 13th Century (Borck and Bremer 2015; Constan 2011). Although there is an abundant record of violence, the source of the violence remains unclear. Were the Gallina attacked by an outside group or groups? Did the Gallina turn on each other? Or was some combination of internecine conflict and foreign attacks to blame? The …

Economies Set In Stone? Magdalenian Lithic Technological Organization And Adaptation In Vasco-Cantabrian Spain, Lisa Marie Fontes

Anthropology ETDs

This hybrid dissertation explores how hunter-gatherer groups who lived during the Initial and Lower Magdalenian archaeological periods (c.17-14,000 uncal. BP) adapted their lithic technological organization to environmental complexity in the Vasco-Cantabrian region of north coastal Spain. Four manuscripts that examine aspects of Last Glacial hunter-gatherer adaptations are presented in this dissertation. The first three have been published or are in press in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Journal of Archaeological Science, and Quaternary International. The last is a completed manuscript that is under review by the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory. The first paper focuses on how archaeologists examine …

Artifacts Of Representation: The Makings Of Indigeneity In Argentine Museums, Amy Kathleen Sartor

Anthropology ETDs

Museums are an integral part of a nation's identity formation - showcasing to national and international visitors what it means to be part of that nation. In Argentina, where national identity is tied to deep colonial roots, indigenous contributions in museums are often essentialized into a form that can easily be absorbed and appropriated by non-indigenous Argentines, as part of a legacy of an ethnic past. For my research, I visited museums in Argentina and cataloged how indigenous people were represented in order to analyze Argentina's interactions with the indigenous people that are often believed not to exist. My thesis …

Trade And Transport In Late Roman Syria, Christopher Wade Fletcher

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite the relative notoriety and miraculous level of preservation of the Dead Cities of Syria, fundamental questions of economic and subsistence viability remain unanswered. In the 1950s Georges Tchalenko theorized that these sites relied on intensive olive monoculture to mass export olive oil to urban centers. Later excavations discovered widespread cultivation of grains, fruit, and beans which directly contradicted Tchalenko’s assertion of sole reliance on oleoculture. However, innumerable olive presses in and around the Dead Cities still speak to a strong tradition of olive production. This thesis tests the logistical viability of olive oil transportation from the Dead Cities to …

On The Significance Of Representations Concerning Indigenous People In Voluntary Isolation, Minna Opas

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

No abstract provided.

Yushin Huemena: Visions Of The Spirit World, Art, Design, Medicine And Protective Spirits In Shipibo Ritual, Warren M. Hern

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

No abstract provided.

Isolation, Otherwise, Lucas Bessire

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

No abstract provided.

The Historical And Linguistic Identity Of The Remos, Łukasz Krokoszyński, David W. Fleck

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

No abstract provided.

The Perils Of “Contact”, Warren Thompson, Obed Garcia

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

No abstract provided.

A Cruel Peace: The Barí Epidemics After Contact, Manuel Lizarralde, Roberto Lizarralde

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

No abstract provided.

Ceci N’Est Pas Un Contacte: The Fetishization Of Isolated Indigenous People Along The Peru-Brazil Border, Glenn H. Shepard Jr.

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

No abstract provided.

The Few Remaining: Genocide Survivors And The Brazilian State, Felipe Milanez, Glenn H. Shepard Jr.

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

No abstract provided.