Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

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 …