This thesis examines Early Woodland subsistence and settlement practices through the analysis of ceramic, lithic, and faunal assemblages associated with the Deptford occupation zone at the Williams site (8TA32), Taylor County, Florida. Excavated under the direction of Dr. David Phelps in 1966, the Williams site is a multi-component linear sheet midden located along the Aucilla River. Preliminary analysis of the ceramic assemblage indicated a sizable Deptford (500B.C.–A.D.150/200) occupation, in addition to a smaller Archaic (Pre-Deptford) component and minor Post-Deptford components. The purpose of this thesis is to: (1) analyze the various artifact assemblages to gain greater insight into the subsistence and settlement system of the Deptford occupants of the site, (2) to evaluate the extent these systems conform to established subsistence and settlement models, and (3) clarify the previous interpretations offered by Phelps regarding the behavior of the inhabitants of the site. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester, 2005. / October 7, 2005. / Subsistence, Aucilla River, Taylor County, Zooarchaeology, Deptford Culture, Settlement / Includes bibliographical references. / Rochelle Marrinan, Professor Directing Thesis; Michael Russo, Committee Member; Glen Doran, Committee Member.

The study of tribal societies has long been riddled with questions regarding the validity of categorization of levels complexity, and how societal organizational structures change from perceived autonomy to interdependency and centralization. Long regarded as existing in a transitory and evolutionary stage between simple, egalitarian bands and more institutionally complex, hierarchical chiefdoms and states, tribes have traditionally been defined as "bounded groups of culturally similar people," as autonomous, semi-sedentary or sedentary communities with limited surplus production of subsistence goods. Older presumptions equating complexity with institutionalized social hierarchies were simplistic, and are giving way to new, more dynamic understandings. Egalitarianism is no longer an assumed tribal fact. Social inequality is present in nearly all political forms, and is based not only on the classic definition of control of wealth and status by a few. Inequality of social status and rank is found in the management and control of transportation of prestige and sacred goods, skills in creating prestige and sacred objects that demonstrates control of the supernatural, control of ritual spiritual knowledge, and knowledge of the foreign and distant. By examining political economy, systems of production, exchange, and the locations of places of settlement, interaction, and communication across the landscape we can begin to understand the interconnected relations between all these system components, and begin to view the collective, complex whole. Regarding the Caribbean region, the early ceramic-making farmer-fishers commonly referred to as Saladoid have been most often described as egalitarian tribes. Until recently, much of the effort by archaeologists focused on the Caribbean region has been concentrated on the development of hierarchical "chiefdom" societies of the Ostionoid period. The majority of these investigations have followed Rouse's culture-historical models established in the 1930s and continually developed until his death in 2005, based in assumptions of migration and diffusion models. Social change, as evidenced in material culture, was explained as adaptations to external forces, namely environmental settings and arrivals of new cultural groups. Innovation was not considered as potential explanations for socio-political change until the last several decades. This dissertation is a study of complexity and processes of socio-organizational change, using as a case study systems of socio-political organization and economy of Saladoid era peoples on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. A contextual approach is utilized that builds on both complexity (systems) and functional theories. The potential variability of forms of socio-political organization among so-called tribal communities is discussed, and questions and definitions of complexity are addressed through the examination of old assumptions of Saladoid-Caribbean peoples as simply "egalitarian societies." It is argued that, archaeologically, the Saladoid peoples demonstrate heterarchy in a variety of socio-organizational forms, in that communities may appear to be ranked in a number of different and altering ways, depending on context and changing values. As defined by Brumfiel (1995:128), heterarchy is not representative of "a single type of social structure; rather, it is a principle of social organization." Heterarchy does not assume that economic and political complexity and hierarchy are necessarily bound together. In particular, the research demonstrates patterns of contact and exchange between island societies by examining the social dynamics and political structures of the peoples of St. Croix within the larger Greater Antilles and northern Leeward Island interaction sphere from the Saladoid (ca. 400 B.C. – A.D. 600) through the Early Ostionoid (ca. A.D. 600 – 900) periods. These patterns are illustrated through the analysis of settlement patterns and artifacts associated with craft production, namely finely made ceramics, ceremonial and polished stone celts, and carved stone ornaments and beads made of non-local materials. A model for Saladoid exchange economy is proposed, using theories of practice and complexity and Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) models. It is argued that complexity theory, with a CAS and small worlds approach, can provide a framework for understanding how local interaction and experience, over time, can affect an entire system, and serves as the basis for examining questions of processes of change in socio-political organization. CAS models integrate the traits, properties and interactions of individuals (agents) into explanations of how these interactions result in the emergence or development of system-wide patterns of organization and adaptation. These patterns continually emerge and develop, and new components are constantly introduced to the system as others fall off. Complexity incorporates the notion that changes in all evolving systems are based on a multiplicity of causes rather than a single cause or prime mover. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2008. / April 11, 2008. / Settlement Patterns, Tribal Societies, Complexity, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, Networks, Archaeology, Caribbean, Interaction / Includes bibliographical references. / Glen H. Doran, Professor Directing Dissertation; Joseph F. Donoghue, Outside Committee Member; Michael A. Uzendoski, Committee Member; William A. Parkinson, Committee Member.

Musculoskeletal stress marker (MSM) analysis was carried out on selected individuals from the Windover burial site (8Br246) in an attempt to reconstruct activity patterns. A combination of 23 muscle and ligament insertion sites were scored based on robusticity markers, the presence of stress lesions, or the presence of ossification exostosis. The sample was composed of 39 males and 30 females ranging in age from 18 to 71. The MSM scores were analyzed in terms of age, sex, and bilateral asymmetry, and also controlled for robusticity. A system of rank-ordering was used to identify the muscles with the highest scores. Results indicated that there was not a strong sexual division of labor among the Windover people; males and females most likely engaged in similar activities, with each sex completing some discrete activities. Results also support the possibility that the Windover people were operating some type of watercraft by either paddling or rowing. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Summer Semester, 2009. / April 13, 2009. / Bioarchaeology, Physical Anthropology, Osteology, Enthesopathies, Muscle Insertion, Activity Reconstruction / Includes bibliographical references. / Glen Doran, Professor Directing Thesis; Frank Marlowe, Committee Member; Lynne Schepartz, Committee Member.

Research on medieval villages in Malta has yet to become a priority among archaeologist of the Maltese Islands. This is not surprising since Malta holds so many amazing Megalithic temples and many other famous Neolithic sites. So the chapels, farmhouses and ceramics that litter the countryside are just waiting to be studied. I began my research on the island by studying the material culture of deserted villages and farmhouses. I focused on using surface ceramics and surviving house remains to analyze the changing way of life of the countryside. Artifact collection and analysis are of extreme importance since a medieval pottery typology and chronology in Malta are lacking. Sites with intact stratified layers and ceramics in situ would greatly advance the data available for the Medieval age on Malta. The documentation of medieval farmhouses on Malta is equally important for current research. The majority of standing structures, i.e., farmhouses and chapels, come from the last few centuries. Pre-sixteenth-century farmhouses are very hard to locate, but with the help of various researchers from the University of Malta, I received many promising leads. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Fall Semester, 2010. / July 19, 2010. / Medieval Malta / Includes bibliographical references. / Glen H. Doran, Professor Directing Thesis; Joseph F. Donoghue, Committee Member; Rochelle A. Marrinan, Committee Member.

Traditional military targeting of integrated air defense systems predominantly used lethal methods. In today's political climate, and technological advances associated with these systems, traditional lethal targeting of integrated air defense systems has been severely limited. This paper proposes using sociolinguistic network analysis to identify key links and nodes within an integrated air defense system for the more efficient non-lethal targeting of these systems. This paper analyzes the differences between traditional non-lethal targeting methodology and the proposed methodology in this paper. Lastly, this paper explores the inherent efficiencies and possible future applications of these methodologies. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2010. / April 5, 2010. / Dell, Nodes, Links, Sociolinguistic, Hymes / Includes bibliographical references. / Glen H. Doran, Professor Directing Thesis; Bruce T. Grindal, Committee Member; Rochelle A. Marrinan, Committee Member.

Forensic anthropology has traditionally been concerned with the identification of an individual recovered from a clandestine grave and analysis of their skeletal material. The data gathered from these burials are often treated as individual cases with no synthesis into a greater body of analysis and do not completely address the anthropological issues surrounding them. This thesis is a demonstration of new approaches to anthropological investigation of clandestine graves through analysis of sample data. By providing examples of the different types of information that have previously been neglected from an analytical perspective, and offering interpretation based upon statistical inferences, this thesis illustrates the patterns of behavior that are exhibited by perpetrators of homicide when they choose to dispose of human remains. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2008. / January 25, 2008. / Florida, Homicide, Clandestine Graves, Surface Skeletons, Buried Bodies / Includes bibliographical references. / Glen Doran, Professor Directing Thesis; Joseph Hellweg, Committee Member; Lynne Schepartz, Committee Member.

In ancient Egypt a proclivity existed for constructing analogies between divinities or corporeal elements of divinities and earthly objects. This thesis examines the specific relationship between analogous god parts and boat parts in Spell 99 from the Book of Dead. I provide a general discussion on the prevalence of watercraft in cosmology followed by an analysis of the individual elements of the mhnt boat described in Spell 99. I develop a predictive model for the relationship between corporeal elements of the gods and boat parts based upon primary and secondary associations of form, the location of the deity in mythical geography, and the boat part's placement relative to the deckline. Applying the anthropological theories of mimesis and liminality I attempt to demonstrate the use of sympathetic magic by the deceased to obtain power over that which he fears, in the process revealing core values of ancient Egyptian culture. I determine that the mhnt boat represents a microcosm of the ancient Egyptian cosmos and functions as a source of power for the deceased over impotency, chaos, and mortality. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2004. / March 30, 2004. / Mimesis, Symbol, Watercraft, Boats, Egyptian, Liminality / Includes bibliographical references. / Cheryl Ward, Professor Directing Thesis; Richard H. Wilkinson, Outside Committee Member; Michael A. Uzendoski, Committee Member; Daniel J. Pullen, Committee Member.

The skeletal remains from the Windover site (8BR246) provide a unique opportunity to understand the dental health of an Archaic period hunter-gatherer population. Windover is a mortuary pond located in Brevard County, Florida, dated to approximately 7400 years B.P. Excavations at the site recovered at least 168 individuals, which is one of the largest and best-preserved skeletal collections of this antiquity from North America. This thesis analyzes the epidemiology of periodontal disease and dental calculus at Windover. Mild forms of both of these dental health problems are common in the Windover population, with only a small percentage of individuals affected by severe periodontal disease or dental calculus. The prevalence of periodontal disease and dental calculus increases with age, but the distribution of these dental health problems is not significantly associated with sex in the Windover sample. The relationship between periodontal disease and other dental health characteristics, including alveolar bone defects, caries, and abscesses, is also assessed. The relative importance of hereditary factors in periodontal disease susceptibility is evaluated through a discussion of periodontal disease prevalence in two Windover lineages that are hypothesized to be genetically distinct. Comparison of the periodontal disease prevalence at Windover with other early Florida hunter-gatherer populations reveals variability between these populations, indicating that factors other than diet may affect susceptibility to periodontal disease. Etiological and demographic factors that may account for variability between these populations are suggested. Factors that may influence the prevalence and severity of periodontal disease in past populations include dental calculus, age, sex, alveolar bone defects, susceptibility to dental health problems, and heredity. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester, 2008. / October 6, 2008. / Dehiscence, Fenestration, Dental Anthropology, Paleopathology, Bioarchaeology, Periodontitis / Includes bibliographical references. / Glen Doran, Professor Directing Thesis; Frank Marlowe, Committee Member; Lynne Schepartz, Committee Member.

Ripley P. Bullen's "A Guide to the Identification of Florida Projectile Points," remains the most important reference on Florida projectile points. The "Guide" was published in 1969 and revised in 1975. Since 1975 several works of similar content and expanded scope have been published. All still rely heavily upon and frequently reference the "Guide." This thesis considers Florida and regional research bearing on the precereamic lithic bifacial types proposed by Bullen. Utilizing calibrated radiocarbon dates a modern temporal placement is suggested for Bullen's as well as newly recoginized or proposed Florida types. Typologically, preceramic Florida types believed to share developmental relationships are grouped into seven type-clusters. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2006. / March 15, 2006. / Use-Wear, Seriation, Lithic Reduction Sequence, Lithic Typology, Paleoindian Period, Archaic Period, Southeastern Archaeology, Florida Archaelogy, Ripley Bullen, Experimental Archaelogy, Radiocarbon Calibration / Includes bibliographical references. / Rochelle A. Marrinan, Professor Directing Thesis; Glenn H. Doran, Committee Member; J. Anthony Paredes, Committee Member.

The origin and time of appearance of human groups, the Paleoindians, in the Americas has been a significant question in Americanist archaeology. Beginning in the latter half of the nineteenth century and extending through the twentieth century, two paradigms have dominated thinking. The first denied the possibility that human groups were present in the Western Hemisphere during the late Pleistocene. When archaeological evidence confirmed the association of extinct Pleistocene megafauna and human tools, the second paradigm, Clovis First, provided a model of origins, migration, subsistence practices, and technology. Both paradigms were based in whole or in part on speculation at worst, and limited data at best. In their times, both were defended staunchly. Yet there were sites, throughout the Americas, that suggested even earlier Paleoindian presence. During the second half of the twentieth century, a variety of new techniques were applied to these questions: radiocarbon dating, geological stratigraphy, and genetic testing. The data produced confirmed that humans were in the Americas before Clovis, but the Clovis First paradigm continued to be defended by many. In this dissertation, the question is not how, or even when, the Paleoindians arrived in the Americas. This study focuses on Florida and the adjacent southeastern states and closely examines the available data. A contextual approach is used in which chronology, site integrity, climate, habitat, resource availability, technology, and subsistence patterns provide the clearest picture of what is known, how it is known, and what is not known about Paleoindian lifeways in the state and region. It is an approach solidly rooted in prior research and aimed toward current and future research goals. The Paleoindian occupation of Florida and the adjoining Tertiary karst region of the southeastern Coastal Plain is considered as a distinct region outside the confines of the Clovis First trajectory. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2012. / March 13, 2012. / Contexts, Florida, Paleoindian, Pre-Clovis, Southeast / Includes bibliographical references. / Rochelle Marrinan, Professor Directing Dissertation; Joseph F. Donoghue, University Representative; Glen H. Doran, Committee Member; Frank Marlowe, Committee Member.