Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Biological Investigation Of Skeletal Remains From The Mouse Creek Phase And A Comparison With Two Late Mississippian Skeletal Populations From Middle And East Tennessee, Donna Catherine Markland Boyd

Masters Theses

This study examines the biological characteristics of the Late Mississippian Mouse Creek Phase skeletal series of Ledford Island, Rymer and Mouse Creek and relates them to other Late Mississippian skeletal populations (the Toqua and Averbuch samples) by using a comparative and holistic approach. The purpose of the study is to assess the biological relationships between these populations, based on the multidimensional biological variables of paleodemography, stature, paleopathology and craniometrics.

No evidence of significant Mouse Creek Phase demographic stress was found. All of the Mouse Creek Phase site populations exhibited low mortality, probability of death, and crude mortality rates and high …

A Biological Investigation Of Skeletal Remains From The Mouse Creek Phase And A Comparison With Two Late Mississippian Skeletal Populations From Middle And East Tennessee, Donna Markland Boyd

Masters Theses

This study examines the biological characteristics of the Late Mississippian Mouse Creek Phase skeletal series of Ledford Island, Rymer and Mouse Creek and relates them to other Late Mississippian skeletal populations (the Toqua and Averbuch samples) by using a comparative and holistic approach. The purpose of the study is to assess the biological relationships between these populations, based on the multidimensional biological variables of paleo-demography, stature, paleopathology and craniometrics.

No evidence of significant Mouse Creek Phase demographic stress was found. All of the Mouse Creek Phase site populations exhibited low mortality, probability of death, and crude mortality rates and high …

Exploring Overhill Cherokee Material Culture Patterning, Kurt C. Russ

Masters Theses

Cherokee acculturation as revealed in the patterned material culture remains from the Colonial through the Federal Period is examined. The utilization of a quantitative functional classification scheme facilitates artifact classification and the formulation of assemblage profiles and artifact patterns for the Colonial Period based on data from Chota/Tanasee (40MR2/40MR62), Citico (40MR7), and Tomotley (40MR5), the Federal Period based on data from Chota/ Tanasee (40MR2/40MR62) and Citico (40MR7), and Mialoquo based on data from this site, 40MR3. The expectation that the Mialoquo Pattern would contrast with both the Colonial and Federal Period Patterns and therefore be identified as Revolutionary Period is …

Contextual Studies Of The Middle Archaic Component At Cave Spring In Middle Tennessee, Jack L. Hofman

Masters Theses

Research in 1980 and 1981 at the Cave Spring site, located on the Duck River in the Nashville Basin of Middle Tennessee, revealed a buried paleosol in a Holocene terrace which contained charcoal, river gravel and chipped stone artifacts. Radiocarbon dates from this buried stratum range from 6500 to 7300 years before present. Evaluating the potential of this buried deposit for yielding behaviorally significant information depended upon learning (1) whether the cultural materials were undisturbed or were redeposited by the river, (2) whether one or several periods of deposition or occupation were represented, and (3) whether material from one or …

A Correlation Study Of The A-B Ridge Breadth To Selected Bodily Dimensions, Martha Jane Eblen

Masters Theses

The correlation of the a-b ridge breadth to 12 anthropometric measurements was investigated in this study. The two samples used were 165 Armenians residing in Australia and 100 American Caucasians. Results of the analysis indicated that the a-b ridge breadth is correlated to seven specific body measurements. In order of decreasing correlation, they were wrist breadth, weight, stature, bicondylar femur, upper arm circumference, biacromial diameter, and calf circumference. It was also evident that bone was the only body size component that was correlated to the a-b ridge breadth.

Lithic Raw Material Variability In The Central Duck River Basin: Reflections Of Middle And Late Archaic Organizational Strategies, Daniel S. Amick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to develop a model for understanding prehistoric chipped-stone debris distribution in the central Duck River Basin region located in Middle Tennessee. The model design consists of theoretical and empirical observations which are integrated to form an interpretive framework. Seven lithic assemblages ranging from Middle to Late Archaic periods (ca. 7000 to 3000 years B.P.) in age were analyzed to assess the model.

The first stage of model-building was the development of a theoretical foundation for approaching the problem. A cultural adaptation paradigm is the foundation cornerstone. Understanding cultural process and organization are emphasized. Lithic …

Spontaneous Abortion: Risk Factors Among Wic Participants In Cherokee, North Carolina, Deann Lee Stivers

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the rate and contributing factors of spontaneous abortion among participants in the Cherokee WIC Program. The data were collected from two sources: WIC Certification Records and personal interviews. The sample (N=500) consisted of both Indian (N=433) and Caucasian (N=67) women who participated in the Cherokee WIC Program from July 1976 to March 1982.

The spontaneous abortion rate for the total population studied is 24.89%, while the national rate of spontaneous abortion reported in the literature ranges from 10% to 20%. The Caucasian participants (N=67) in this study experience a higher rate (40.0%) …

American Indian And Euro-American Impact Upon Holocene Vegetation In The Lower Little Tennessee River Valley, East Tennessee, Patricia A. Cridlebaugh

Doctoral Dissertations

Paleoethnobotanical remains recovered from Early Archaic through Historic Overhill Cherokee period archaeological sites in the lower Little Tennessee River Valley in Tennessee document prehistoric people's plant-exploitation patterns. This material provides the basis for establishing a model of prehistoric landscape change. Plant species represented by wood charcoal were assigned to bottomland, upland, and disturbed-upland habitats. Indian exploitation of upland favored species remained consistent through time. A progressively deforested landscape is indicated by diminished exploitation of bottomland-favored plant species in contrast to simultaneous increases in Indian utilization of disturbance-favored early successional taxa such as pine (Pinus spp.), cedar (Juniperus virginiana …

Pentecostal Healing: A Facet Of The Personalistic Health System Of Pakal-Na, A Village In Southern Mexico, Murl Owen Dirksen

Doctoral Dissertations

This research investigates the degree to which Pentecostals in Pakal-Na, Chiapas, Mexico, employ personalistic rather than naturalistic disease theory (Foster, 1976) in selecting curing methods, and it compares Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal employment of health resources. In naturalistic disease theory, illness results from impersonal, natural forces (i.e., cold, heat, wind and dampness) which cause an imbalance in natural body states. In personalistic disease theory, illness is caused by supernatural forces. Because of differences in believed sources of illness, these two theories of disease predispose individuals to select different therapies and curers.

For this study, personalistic/naturalistic categories were viewed as a continuum, …

Metric Variation On The Arikara Pelvis, Cheryl Lee Puskarich

Doctoral Dissertations

Metric variation in the innominates, sacra and articulated pelves of the South Dakota Plains Indian group, the Arikara, are analyzed in an attempt to delineate biological relationships. The specimens examined represent 10 archaeological sites ranging in date from A.D. 1600 to 1832. The following sample sizes for innominate, sacrum and articulated pelvis data sets are employed: 292, 305, and 151, respectively. The data are analyzed utilizing univariate as well as multivariate statistical procedures.

The results indicate that consistent within-group patterning exists. Common elements of pelvic structure can therefore be identified. Group analysis results indicate that temporal patterning can be identified …