Anthropology Commons^™

Analysis Of Guatemalan Textiles, Cristina Keiko Tomita

Masters Theses

This study applies John L. Fischer's (1961) hypothesis that design elements reflect certain social variables to 50 Guatemalan textiles from the collection of the Field Museum of Chicago, to test its applicability. The results of the analysis were consistent with expectations, but some modifications to the original hypothesis are suggested to minimize ambiguities. The modified analysis can be applied in areas such as archaeology, art history and museum work to expand the interpretative potential of material objects, including works of art.

Ethnography Of A Lesbian Community In Michigan, Carol W. Burton

Masters Theses

The purpose of this master's thesis is to describe the structure and workings of a community of women in a major western Michigan metropolitan area, who identify themselves as lesbians, and to describe how this subcommunity relates to the dominant American culture in the area. This study examines the ways in which these lesbians define themselves and their subculture.

To facilitate this research, the researcher participated in the group's meetings, both formal and informal, and spoke with individual members about the history of the group, organizational principles, problems and concerns, formal and Informal rules of conduct, values, and any other …

Alcohol Use In The Industrialized West: One View, E. Michael Smith

Masters Theses

Alcohol has great antiquity and is used by most of the world's cultures. Invariably, there are many theories which account for its use. Regardless, whether psychological, biological or sociological they tend to represent alcohol use, alcohol abuse and alcoholism as stages of the disease process. The present paper uses a multidisciplinary approach to the study of alcohol use, incorporating ideas that are psychological, sociological, biological and anthropological. Alcohol use in the industrialized West may, in part, be accounted for because of "subsistence insecurity."

For the purpose of this paper "subsistence insecurity," in the industrialized West, will be represented by the …

An Analysis Of The Lithic Material From The Late Woodland Component Of The Draper Park Site (20sc40) In Port Huron, Michigan, Fran Seager

Masters Theses

This research examines the lithic assemblage of the Draper Park site, which consists of over seventeen thousand specimens including detrital material, implying on-site manufacturing techniques. Artifact attributes are analyzed and correlated within the context of the site and compared with known Late Woodland fishing sites. The intensive use of the site and strategic location suggest that it was a fishing station located at the headwaters of the St. Clair River. The site was seasonally occupied from A.D. 600 through A.D. 1300.

Patterns Of Refuse Disposal In New Orleans During The Middle To Late 19th Century, James M. Wojtala

Masters Theses

Patterns relating to refuse disposal practices during the middle to late 19th century in New Orleans are revealed through the analysis of artifacts from the Robin Street Nuisance Wharf site 16 OR 116. Various analyses allow chronological, economic, and behavioral patterns to be discerned. Intrasite patterns are compared on an intersite basis in an attempt to interpret refuse disposal behavior on a citywide basis. Historic documents are used to supplement archeological data and aid in the delineation of chronology and the economic and social makeup of those groups contributing to the archeological record. Observations are used as a basis for …

Archaeology And The Public: A Survey Of People's Knowledge Of The Archaeology Profession, Heidi Stoneman

Masters Theses

Archaeologists have an obligation to communicate the significance of data and research results to a fascinated but often uninformed public. How much the public understands about the field of archaeology is important to the profession. Through the media, people learn about the discovery of spectacular artifact treasures. This information often fosters the practice of treasure hunting, the looting and destruction of important archaeological sites. Via treasure hunting, along with land alteration and traffic in the sale of antiquities, the field of archaeology loses vast amounts of valuable information.

An interview questionnaire was given to 232 people with varying levels of …

A Preliminary Report Of Investigations At The Kline 1 Site (20sj29), St. Joseph County, Michigan, Dale W. Quattrin

Masters Theses

The Kline 1 site, located in Mendon Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan, is a multi-component site situated on the eastern shore of Portage Lake. While the projectile points recovered during surface collecting suggest interm ittent presence on this site from late Paleo-Indian to Late Woodland times, the occupation offering the most substantial cultural and subsistence data is attributed to the Late Woodland period. Radiocarbon assays received on two features gave dates of 830 + 70 B.P. and 810 + 50 B.P. calibrated to be A.D. 1215 and A.D. 1223 respectively. The importance of this site relates to its spatially intermediate …

Modernization In West Africa: How Women's Lives Have Been Marginalized, Patricia S. Peterman

Masters Theses

Social scientists have documented the effects of colonialism and independence in West Africa, but have focused on male roles in economic institutions. Recent research reveals not only the importance of women as agricultural producers but also the marginalization of women in contemporary national society. Development projects have not eased economic hardship, rather emphasis on industrialization has led to agricultural underdevelopment, borne more heavily by women and children than by men.

This paper looks at the micro-level issues of the division of labor, the structure of the household, the status of women, and issues concerning fertility and reproduction. In doing so, …

Lead Seals From Fort Michilimackinac, Mackinaw City, Michigan, Diane L. Adams

Masters Theses

Archaeologists have routinely identified small lead seals found on sixteenth- to eighteenth-century sites in North America as "bale seals." An analysis of the lead seals from Fort Michilimackinac, Mackinaw City, Michigan, (1715-1781) was conducted to determine whether the seals are actually cloth seals from individual textiles.

Four lines of evidence were examined in order to clarify the function(s) of lead seals: documentary sources, quantitative analysis of archaeological data from Fort Michilimackinac, comparative data from site reports, and cloth imprint analysis.

Available evidence supports an interpretation that most lead seals are cloth marks. Lead seals served as indicators of quality, ownership, …

The Mexican American Elderly And Barriers To The Utilization Of Health Care Services, Kathleen Anne Hoekstra

Masters Theses

The utilization of health care services by the Mexican American elderly is low compared to the severity of their health problems. This thesis examines the sociocultural factors which affect the interaction of the Mexican American elderly and mainstream health professionals. Included is a brief history detailing discriminatory practices, a description of traditional Mexican cultural practices and attitudes, and an exploration of the cultural barriers which limit access to health care.

A Cultural Study Of The Hispanic Population In Kalamazoo, Michigan, Diane M. Rodriguez

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to detail the cultural diversity of the Hispanic population in Kalamazoo, Michigan, so as to enhance the efforts of social and government agencies in dealing with the social and economic needs of these people.

While other studies have been conducted on Hispanics, this project was unique in that (a) data were collected while the researcher was in the role of advocate as an employee of the Hispanic-American Council, and (b) emphasis was placed on the cultural components of each Hispanic group in Kalamazoo. The discussion centers on the Mexican-Americans, Cubans, and Panamanians, with briefer …

Peyote And Peyotism, Brian P. Akers

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to provide a general comparative discussion of the native use of peyote, past and present.

Historic sources and ethnographic accounts are reviewed in light of relevant botanical, pharmacological, and ethnological considerations.

An Ethnographic Study Of Punk Rock In Western Michigan: Identity In A Youth Subculture, Robert P. Pomeroy

Masters Theses

This thesis presents an ethnosemantic analysis of the punk rock subculture of western Michigan. Assertion of personal identity is demonstrated to be the underlying principle which organizes punk terminology for their music, cultural environment, and members of the subcultures. An analysis of punk song lyrics, visual style, and verbal style demonstrates that this assertion of identity is accomplished through opposition to the dominant American culture. Punk rock can then be understood as a subculture of cultural rebellion which allows its members to assert their individuality through violation of culturally accepted aesthetic values.

Prehistoric Firewood Exploitation: A Case Study From The Carolinian Biotic Province, David Gordon De Fant

Masters Theses

A case study approach is applied to the problem of prehistoric firewood selection and utilization within a heterogeneous woodland environment. Prefaced by an indepth survey of theoretical and methodological approaches relevant to understanding resource exploitation, a wood charcoal analysis of the Schwerdt site (20AE127) is presented. This analysis is then discussed in regard to environmental, preservational, and functional contexts. It is suggested that this wood charcoal assemblage represents a subtle yet pervasive pattern of firewood selectivity operating within the overt bounds of expedient procurement.

An Analysis Of The Lithic Raw Materials And Diagnostic Projectile Points From The Settlement Pattern Survey Project In The Lower Kalamazoo River Valley, Amy L. Campbell

Masters Theses

This analysis was carried out on lithic materials collected during the three years of the Settlement Pattern Survey in the Lower Kalamazoo River valley, 1978-1980. The objectives of the study were to provide a firm temporal sequence for the prehistory of the area based on diagnostic projectile point styles, and to assess the dynamics of interregional contact via the identification of chert types from distant source areas. The sample of projectile points provided evidence of human occupation of the Lower Kalamazoo River valley from Paleoindian through Late Woodland times, most notably new evidence for significant occupation in the Early Archaic …

New Directions Within Applied Anthropology, Eleanor Mary Dominek

Masters Theses

This study explores the relationship between applied anthropological research and traditional anthropological research in terms of structural and methodological differences. The methods and techniques of Social Impact Assessment, as practiced in North America, and of international development anthropology are also compared. It is found that different kinds of applied anthropology modify methods and techniques (a) to meet the specific needs of supporting research institutions, (b) in response to the unique nature of individual applied problems, and (c) in order to create a type of research product which is very different from that of basic research.

A Statistical Analysis Of The Lithic Material From The Zemaitis Site (200t68), Ottawa County, Michigan, Michael L. Murphy

Masters Theses

An analysis of the lith ic tools and a representative sample of debitage from the Zemaitis site is presented. The methodology employed in lith ic analysis is described with the goal of comparab ility with other studies. Based upon this comparison i t is suggested that the major occupation of the site was during the Middle Woodland Period and the site appears to have been occupied year-round. Because the Zemaitis site was undisturbed by modern agricultural techniques, special attention is given to the artifact distributions both vertically and horizontally across the site.

With the aid of various statistical models the …

The Nature Of The British Fairies Of Medieval And Folk Literature An Annotated Bibliography 1900-1983, Constance Reik

Masters Theses

This thesis fills the need for a bibliography of works on the British fairies.

It is essentially an annotated bibliography with an introduction which will help illuminate the fairies of the ancient and medieval literature (through Shakespeare) and the folk literature of Britain. The annotations are extensive are both descriptive and evaluative.

The bibliography includes publications written in English, from 1900 to 1983, which describe and discuss the characteristics and origins of the British fairies. It is divided into seven chapters: Literary Fairies, British Fairies, English Fairies, Welsh and Manx Fairies, Scottish Fairies, Irish Fairies, and Origins of Fairies.

The …

The Prehistory Of The Birch Run Road Site, Saginaw County, Michigan, Caven P. Clark

Masters Theses

The Birch Run Road site (20SA393), located in the archaeologic ally complex Saginaw Valley, was partially impacted by the extension of Birch Run Road across the Flint River. In many respects typical of Saginaw Valley sites as a whole, the Birch Run Road site produced artifacts attributable to the Early Archaic, Late Archaic, Late Woodland and historic periods. The prehistoric occupations are evaluated with special attention to the context and form of lithic raw materials, and use of projectile points in determining temporal placement. The Late Woodland component, ca. A.D. 800-1100, represents the most intensive occupation of the site. Physical …

Cholesteatoma In A Pre-Columbian American Aborigine From The Gyftakis Site, St. Ignace, Michigan, Robert William Hull

Masters Theses

A 25 to 30 year old American aborigine male dating from A.D. 170 + 80 years exhibits bilateral osteolytic lesions of the temporal bones. A differential diagnosis was set up to determine the cause of the pathology. It was determined that the individual had probably been subject to chronic suppurative otitis media complicated by mastoiditis, cholesteatoma, and probable lateral sinus thrombosis of the right temporal bone. Otitis media then developed within the left temporal bone causing some bone destruction, although not to the extent seen in the right temporal. It is likely that a small cholesteatoma had developed or would …

The Upper Mississippian Component At The Fort Meigs Site, Northwest Ohio, With Special Emphasis On The Analysis Of The Ceramic Assemblage, William Evan Rutter

Masters Theses

An introduction to the late prehistoric Upper Mississippian component of the Ft. Meigs site is presented. Site context and history of research are presented, and the non-ceramic artifact assemblage is analyzed and discussed. An in depth analysis of the ceramic assemblage is presented, as well as discussion of the osteological, floral, and faunal remains. Ft. Meigs is then examined from a culture ecological perspective, and is discussed in terms of culture historical data and a theoretical schema. The site is employed to aid in illumination of the process of culture contact in general, and within the western Lake Erie Basin …

A Skeletal Comparison Of Bluewing Teals Versus Greenwing Teals And Mallard Ducks Versus Black Ducks From A Zooarchaeological Perspective, Michael Gordon Cohen

Masters Theses

The archaeological literature of the Great Lakes region frequently reports the occurrence of faunal and floral remains from the sites under investigation. An analysis of the data indicates that mammal bones greatly outnumber bird bone remains. The hypothesis is suggested that the limited number of identified bird bone remains might be due to the fact that zooarchaeologists are not as familiar with avian bones as they are with mammal bones. For the benefit of zooarchaeologists, bird bone anatomy is reviewed which hopefully will lead to better identification of these remains in the future. The differences between two species of teals …

A Formal Analysis Of Ceramic Vessels From The Schlemmer Site (11-S-382): A Late Woodland/ Mississippian Occupation In St. Clair County, Illinois, Thomas Edward Berres

Masters Theses

The Schlemmer site is located about 20 km southwest of Cahokia Mounds State Park at the southern edge of Dupo, Illinois. This thesis analayzes 166 vessels recovered from 29 pit and structural features at the southern portion of the site. Using a newly defined late prehistoric American Bottom chronology, the Schlemmer vessels were assigned to either Patrick phase (A.D. 600-800) or Lindeman phase (A.D. 950-1000) components. The research discussed in this thesis attempts to describe and explain the formal variation in Schlemmer ceramic vessels through time and space. To this end, the ceramics have undergone both analytical attribute and typological …

Archaeological Perspectives Of The Lumber Industry In Northern Lower Michigan, 1865-1920, Rebecca Ellen Dinsmore

Masters Theses

In an attempt to generate predictive statements about site structure and location, the nature of lumber industry development is examined through historical and environmental relationships between logging sites, early logging methods, transportation technology, and the presettlement forest as reconstructed from the original General Land Office surveyor field notes and plats. Eighteen historic logging sites recorded on the Huron National Forest and within the Au Sable River watershed comprise the data set. The purpose of this study is two-fold: (a) to reconstruct the lumber industry history along the Au Sable River, and (b) to develop a means of locating, identifying, and …

The Patterns Of Cultural Behavior Which Promote And Disrupt The Transmission Of Malaria In Haiti, Janet Jenks Sloan

Masters Theses

Malaria is in epidemic resurgence in the Limbe region of Haiti as a consequence of the termination of internationally-sponsored eradication programs. The presence of endemic disease cannot be considered an exclusively biophysical phenomenon; it is also an aspect of human adaptation within a particular environment. The biocultural ecology of Haiti the biocultural context must be understood and the complexity of the interaction of these factors appreciated. Any ameliorative intervention program must be based on a multiple strategy approach that is compatible with the realities of the cultural context of the human ecology of Haiti.

Using Anthropological Approaches In A Human Service Setting, Steven Alan Erickson

Masters Theses

Public criticism of human service organizations has underlined the fact that there are essential differences between organizations which provide services and organizations which produce goods. As service providers, human service organizations represent an organized response to human needs and problems, but this response is affected by different assumptions about people's ability or inability to meet their own needs. The process of providing services entails a number of interactions at various levels between the organization and the community. These relationships are as complex as the people and social systems of which our pluralistic society is comprised, but there are special manifestations …

The Socio-Cultural Transformation Of Japanese Medical Systems, Takako Matsunaga

Masters Theses

Medical systems, just as other social institutions, are not stable and, thus, are subject to change. This essay is an analysis of the socio-cultural transformation of Japanese medical systems in general, and of the "health care system" of the cosmopolitan medical system in particular. No medical system is able to provide problem free medical care to any given population. Thus, the current health issues and changes in health seeking/enhancing behavior in contemporary Japan is examined as the reflection of the maladaptive nature of cosmopolitan medicine to its environment.

Distribution Analysis Of The Cultural Materials From The Mushroom Site (20 Ae 88), Allegan County, Michigan, Charles B. Stout

Masters Theses

An analysis of the features, lithics, and spatial distributions of all material culture recovered at the Mushroom site is presented. Based on this analysis and the ceramic analysis done by Mangold (1981:39-67), it is suggested that the major component at the Mushroom site was a warm season encampment, occupied during the late Middle Woodland period. The site appears to have been occupied by a few groups at a time. Comparison between the Mushroom site and the late Middle Woodland component at the Schultz site suggests that fishing may have been an important economic focus at the Mushroom site. Unlike the …

An Analysis Of Plant Remains From Draper Park, A Late Woodland Site In Southeastern Michigan, Jean F. Marek

Masters Theses

This paper presents an analysis of the plant remains from the Draper Park site, a food processing area located on the west side of the rapids at the head of the St. Clair River, which was occupied from the seventh century through the fourteenth century A.D. Activities relating to the procurement of two primary resources, fish and squash, were carried out during spring, summer, and fall. The exploitation of wild fruits (plums, cherries, elderberries, raspberries, and grapes) was of secondary importance.

Analysis Of The Prehistoric Settlement Pattern Survey Project In The Lower Kalamazoo River Valley: The 1978 And 1979 Field Seasons, Deborah K. Rhead

Masters Theses

Western Michigan University's Settlement Pattern Survey, Implemented in the Spring of 1978 under the direction of Or. Elizabeth Garland, is an intensive problem-oriented survey aimed at discerning patterns of prehistoric settlement in Allegan County, Michigan. This thesis is based on the analysis of the Settlement Pattern Survey data for the 1978 and 1979 seasons. The use of sampling strategies in archaeology and corresponding problems with analytical statistics is examined with particular reference to the Settlement Pattern Survey Project. The application of cluster analysis to the Settlement Pattern Survey project 1s also discussed. As a result of this analysis, distinct patterns …