Bioarchaeology

[U] Bioarchaeology #

Definition: #

• Bioarchaeology: integrates skeletal biology knowledge with archaeological and historical context to approach anthropological questions.
• Emphasis on:
  • population level
  • biocultural approach
  • But the context can vary!
• helps us learn about effects of behavior/culture on the body
• demonstrates human evolution, variation, adaptation

History: #

• Herodotus – 440 BC: Egyptian variation + evolution
• early skeletal biology → categorized humans, collected skulls (cranial topology)
• Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, Samuel Morton (1839)
  • differences in brain function
• First physical anthropologist: Ales Hrdlicka: founded AJPA
• Hooton: modern epidemiology for racial differences
• Franz Boas: founded American Anthropology
  • challenged genetic explanations for variation
    • influenced by environment

Shift to modern perspectives #

• Ecological, evolutionary, cultural perspectives
• 1950: Washburn — variation and evolution
• biocultural approach
  • culture is part of adaptation to environment
  • improved technology

Contemporary Bioarchaeology #

• study interaction b/tw biology, behavior

Culture Contact, Colonialism #

• negative health consequences
  • different diseases being circulated
  • enslavement, genocide
• poor health associated w/ early farmers

Stress Indicators #

physiological disruption of poor living environment

e.g. iron deficiency anemia #

• caused by poor diet or parasites (less common → more common)
• reaction ⇒ porotic hyperostosis
  • bone becomes spongy, trabecular increases

Enamel Hypoplasia #

• lines on teeth
• does not regenerate — formed in early childhood by ameloblasts
• stops formation of enamel if low on energy
• timed — used for aging accurately

Dental Caries: cavities #

• demineralization of teeth by acids created by fermentation of carbohydrates
• increased with shift to agriculture

Treponemal disease (syphilis) #

• 4 kinds, most common is venereal syphilis
• lesions in skin, bones
• both bone formation and destruction

Tuberculosis #

• caused by mycobacterium
• transmitted by airborne droplets from birds, cows
• original start - domestication of animals
• destructive in bones after a long time (dormant in lungs)
  • circular deformation in vertebrae (Pott’s disease)

Degenerative disease #

• chronic: due to wear and tear
• acute: due to trauma

Osteoarthritis #

• degeneration of cartilage
• due to agriculture, people began to do repetitive actions
• osteophytes - ring of bone around joint
• eburnation - worn out joints, polishes bones