The recently discovered site of Rising Star in the Craddle of Humankind, Johannesburg, South Africa, has yielded the single largest fossil hominin assemblage on the African continent to have been uncovered to date. Much of the anatomy of the new species, Homo naledi, has been described. With relatively human-like lower limb and strangely primitive-likeupper body, Homo naledi displays a mosaic of traits in its morphology. A small cranium for a member of the genus Homo adds to this unexpected mix of characters. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version] / MT 2017

This thesis is a paleopathological survey of ancient Peruvian crania housed at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Chapter one discusses the significance of this research, work prior to this thesis’s formulation, and defines paleopathological and bioarchaeological terms relevant to this thesis. Chapter two presents this thesis’s materials and methods. Of the 196 Peruvian crania in this study sample, 11 case studies are presented. Chapter three reports a case of probable scurvy and likely anemia comorbidity. This case study is accompanied by a critical analysis and review of the literature surrounding scurvy, a detailed macroscopic examination, and a rigorous differential diagnosis process. Chapter four offers cases representing pseudopathology, hematopoietic disease, infectious disease, joint disease, neoplastic disease, trauma, and trauma-induced disease. Chapter five presents a summary of this thesis. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Diagnosing the sex of subadult skeletal material is a difficult task for bioarchaeologists and forensic anthropologists. Metric and nonmetric techniques have been tested utilizing both fetal (Boucher 1957, Weaver 1980) and juvenile (Loth and Henneberg 2001, Weaver 1980) skeletal remains. Some metric techniques show promise in estimating the sex of juvenile skeletons, but most are found to be lacking in adequate accuracies (Holcomb and Konigsberg 1995, Weaver 1980). Nonmetric techniques have been found to be more accurate, performing better than chance (Loth and Henneberg 2001, Mittler and Sheridan 1992, Weaver 1980). This study adds to this conversation, utilizing the Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, testing the accuracy of eight nonmetric traits of the subadult mandible and ilium for use in forensic investigations and bioarchaeological research. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The identification of victims involved in mass fatality incidents, as well as the identification of unknown individuals in criminal cases has become an increasingly important issue nowadays. Sex assessment represents a key point in forensic evaluations due to its significance in providing biological identity. Even though the availability of documented skeletal remains to forensic practitioners is a common practice in many countries, in Turkey, contemporary documented skeletal remains are not available for this purpose. For this reason, studies have been focused on living populations. Previous research has shown that modern technologies such as CT scanning present very promising potential in establishing new standards for contemporary populations. Therefore, the main aim of this project was to examine the application of the measurements taken from 3D CT images of the femur in order to assess sex, and to contribute to the establishment of discriminant function equations for the Turkish population for forensic applications. The accuracy and reproducibility of imaging methods in the assessment of the measurements taken from femora are essential when estimating sex. This research also concentrated on determining the accuracy and repeatability of CT measurements, using the femur. Prior to primary data collection, a preliminary study was performed in an effort to test the reliability of the femur measurements. The results of reliability analysis indicated no significant difference between the three observations of each measurement. Thus, the methodology employed in the current study appears reliable and reproducible. In addition, a validation study was conducted to determine the linear measurement accuracy of the 3D volume rendering models derived from a medical CT scanner and the influence of different reconstruction parameters. The differences between measurements obtained from dry bones and their 3D volume rendered models were also evaluated. The results from this study indicated that there were no statistically significant differences between measurements taken from different reconstruction parameters and measurements obtained from CT images and drybones. Using the CT data, volume-rendering function (VR), 3D Curved Multiplanar reconstruction (MPR), and Scout View on OsiriX were employed in order to compare the accuracy and reliability of each rendering method and to determine which technique is optimal for linear measurements. Overall, the measurements taken from the 3D Volume Rendering images had the highest intra-observer reliability when compared to the other two rendering methods. This research study produced data and interpretations that will inform on and improve population specific standards of sex assessment from three-dimensional postcranial osteometric landmarks. Additionally, this research is believed to provide value for a developing discipline of forensic anthropology, and integrate within the existing systems of criminal investigation and disaster victim identification practices in Turkey. A Turkish sample population, consisting of 300 adult hospital patients was examined via the interpretation of CT reconstructed images using the OsiriX software. The 3D reconstructions were then created using the volume-rendering function in OsiriX (v.5.6.). Following the 3D reconstruction, an image of each femur was segmented from the surrounding bones to ensure the correct usage of landmarks as accurately as possible. Thirteen measurements were acquired using a 3D viewer after being located and marked on each CT reconstructed femora. These thirteen anthropometric parameters were measured and analysed by basic descriptive statistics and discriminant analysis methods using the SPSS 21.0 software package. The intra-observer variation was assessed by obtaining the intraclass correlation coefficient in order to evaluate the accuracy of the linear measurements taken. Asymmetry was also tested. The results indicated that an accuracy of 92.3% was acquired from a combination of six of the measurements, and the Femur Vertical Diameter of Neck (FVDN) measurement was found to be the most dimorphic with 88.0% accuracy.

O objetivo dessa dissertação é entender quais são e como se dão os padrões de variabilidade de contextos funerários dos grupos Guarani e Tupinambá, com foco na região da bacia dos rios Paranapanema e alto Paraná. Para tal, fizemos um levantamento bibliográfico de sítios com contextos funerários, escavados por diversos arqueólogos e arqueólogas, que se localizam nos estados de São Paulo, Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul e Rio de Janeiro. Desses sítios, escolhemos aqueles que possuíam mais informação e material disponível para análise como a base para nossas considerações. Analisamos material cerâmico e remanescentes humanos, e fizemos um levantamento de práticas funerárias de grupos Tupinambá e diversos grupos Guarani a partir de fontes etnohistóricas. Os dados analisados demonstram que a variabilidade das práticas funerárias desses grupos é constituída por continuidades e descontinuidades, elementos básicos que se repetem e elementos que se distinguem. Esses elementos estão presentes na cerâmica, na espacialidade funerária, e conversam com padrões de assentamento. Eles mostram como grupos Guarani e Tupinambá ocuparam áreas ao longo do Paranapanema e afluentes, formando diferentes ocupações que por vezes podem ter existido em um período próximo, no qual esses dois grupos - ou ao menos pessoas que faziam cerâmicas desses dois tipos - podem ter convivido. / The aim of this dissertation is to understand what are and how are the patterns of variability of the funerary contexts of Guarani and Tupinambá groups, focused on the region of the Paranapanema and upper Paraná rivers basins. For such purpose we had conducted an extensive literature review of sites with funerary contexts, excavated by different archaeologists, located in São Paulo, Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul and Rio de Janeiro states. From these sites we selected those who had more information and material available for analysis as the basis of the research. We analyzed pottery and human remains, and we consulted ethnohistorical sources about funerary practices of Tupinambá groups and several Guarani groups. The analyzed data demonstrate that the variability of the funerary practices of these groups is constituted by continuities and discontinuities, basic elements that are repeated and elements that are distinguished. These elements are present in pottery, funerary spatiality and settlement patterns. They show how Guarani and Tupinambá groups occupied areas along the Paranapanema and tributaries, forming different occupations that may have existed, in some cases, in a near period, in which these two groups - or people who produced these two different types of pottery - may have coexisted.

The aim of this thesis is to examine the scale of human migration in three prehistoric settlements in the Upper Mun River Valley (UMRV) Northeast Thailand, from c. 1700BC - AD500. Archaeological data implies migration may have had a central role in the development of agriculture and later metal technology in the region, which is suggested to show increased social complexity over this important stage in the development of states in mainland Southeast Asia. The scale of these migrations, however, are not known and based on archaeological evidence it is unclear whether there were large numbers of individuals migrating into the region in order to bring about the changes seen in the archaeological record. Two potentially complementary-methods are used to identify the extent of migration in the UMRV in this thesis. The first method, the study of dental morphological traits, is used as an indication of genotype of 78 prehistoric individuals. The second method is isotope analysis of the dental enamel of 74 individuals, used as indicators of childhood residence and diet. Strontium (Sr), Carbon (C) and Oxygen (O) isotopes are analysed. The first method reflects an individual�s genetic heritage through inherited traits, while the second method is an indication of an individual�s migration during their lifetime. Together, these methods may provide a powerful means to assess the scale of migration over an extended period of time in this region. As it has been posited that the introduction of agriculture is related to migration of people into the region, the current study hypothesises that while immigrants would be identified from outside the UMRV during all phases of occupation at the sites, this would be particularly so during the earlier phases. It is also hypothesised through analysis of the morphological traits that genetic relationships at each site could be suggested. Finally, it is also hypothesised that individuals with evidence for infectious diseases, which are otherwise rare in the region, would be immigrants. The frequencies of the dental morphological traits at each site are calculated, and a local pattern for each site developed. The results from the morphological traits suggest low levels of migration into the UMRV, and overall group homogeneity. Despite this homogeneity, it is suggested that several individuals may have been from a different genetic pool to others at the sites, reflected in a different combination of dental traits. There is also some evidence for genetic relationships between individuals, and over time, possibly indicating familial relationships at the sites. Stability in the Sr isotopes over time suggest a local signature for the UMRV. Sr isotopes did not support a hypothesis of large-scale immigration into the UMRV, as there were few isotopic outliers identified. Those individuals with clear outlier Sr results, and therefore probable immigrants, were predominately female. All phases of occupation of the UMRV attracted some long-range inward movement of people, although the data suggests long-range migration diminished over time. [delta]��C values show no significant change over time, possibly supporting the Sr data of limited migration into the region. While the interpretation of this isotope is primarily from a perspective of migration it is recognised that this may be limited to understanding variation in diet in the individuals. [delta]�⁸O values show significant change over time (p = 0.00, ANOVA), perhaps consistent with previous research which suggested increased aridity in the UMRV. An alternative explanation of the [delta]�⁸O data is that migration increased with time, with people who were differentiated by their O isotopes but not their Sr, however the increased aridity hypothesis is favoured here. The hypothesis that individuals with evidence for infectious disease would be long-range immigrants into the region is rejected. None of the individuals who had physical evidence for infectious disease had chemical data to support their being immigrants. The putative migrants to the UMRV are presented as case studies, assessing the complementarity of the methods used. It is argued that given the changes in the environment over time in the UMRV the area may have become less attractive to immigrants and as a result the communities may have become more insular. The data yielded from the two methods have demonstrated the value of using inherited dental traits together with isotopic data of individual migration for investigating human mobility in the past. Using these methods, this study shows that there were low levels of migration into the UMRV and that long-range migration was more frequent in the earliest phases of occupation in the region.

There are two principal models that purport to interpret the evidence for the origins of the Neolithic period in Thailand. Both stress the importance of rice cultivation and the domestication of a range of animals. One incorporates archaeological and linguistic evidence in identifying the origins as the result of the diffusion of farming communities into Southeast Asia and India from a source in the Yangtze River valley. The alternative stresses a local evolutionary pathway whereby indigenous hunter-gatherers began to cultivate rice within Thailand. This dissertation is centred on the results of the excavation of Ban Non Wat, in the Upper Mun Valley of Northeast Thailand. This has provided one of the largest, best dated and provenanced samples of occupation and mortuary remains of a Neolithic community so far available in Southeast Asia. Its principal objective is to define the motifs incised, impressed and painted onto the surface of ceramic mortuary vessels, in order to permit a comparison with other assemblages first in Thailand, then in Southeast Asia north into China. It is held that if there are close parallels over a wide geographic area, in these motifs, then it would support a model of diffusion. If there are not, then the alternative of local origins would need to be examined closely. It is argued that the similarity in motifs, particularly a stylised human figure, between Thai and Vietnamese sites lends support to a common origin for these groups. The motifs are not so obvious when examining the southern Chinese data, although the mode of decoration by painting, incising and impressing recur there. This, in conjunction with mortuary rituals, weaving technology, the domestic dog, and the linguistic evidence, sustains a model for demic diffusion. However, the presence of ceramic vessels also decorated with impressed/incised techniques in maritime hunter-gatherer contexts stresses that the actual Neolithic settlement may have been more complex.

Forensic anthropologists and archaeologists have been increasingly engaged, at police request, in investigations to locate and recover buried human remains ( Rodriguez and Bass, 1985 ; France et al., 1992 ; Owsley, 1995 ; Hunter et al., 1996 ). Current search methods are derived from archaeology, geology, botany, geography and taphonomy. However, there is limited testing of search techniques, particularly over graves containing human bodies, and few studies that have examined the appearance of gravesites over several years. In the absence of such studies in Australia, eight shallow burials ( six animal graves, two human graves ) and one calibration pit were established in South Australia to provide information about the physical properties of graves and the effectiveness of burial site location techniques. The findings provide descriptive information about the surface appearance of graves over six years, the chemical elements remaining in the upper levels of grave soil and the practical implications of using geophysical instruments to search for buried human remains in typical forensic cases in South Australian landscapes. Key surface indicators identified included ongoing faunal scavenging, soil surface differences, absence of moss, absence of vegetation in dry periods, the slow return of ground debris, and the formation of depressions. These were not all associated with the presence of a body but could be related to disturbance of the ground surface. There was a relationship between surface indicators and seasonal conditions and the position of the gravesites in relation to surrounding landscape features, in particular, trees. Higher levels of certain soil elements at the upper surface layer at the gravesites were identifiable after several years of burial ; in particular, calcium and magnesium were identifiable at the human body and kangaroo gravesites. Ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity and electromagnetic induction were used to survey the gravesites. Ground penetrating radar provided the most significant results in terms of anomalies compared to the surrounds. However, use of these instruments highlighted the potential of overlooking gravesites due to lack of definitive survey data, the impact of seasonal conditions and the problems associated with using the instruments in some burial areas. Comparison of these findings is made with other international studies. Electrical resistivity surveying was successfully used to locate a 150 year old burial. A national survey on body location techniques used by police investigators in a seven year period was conducted, demonstrating a limited reported success in and use of search techniques other than ground search, implying a need to develop more reliable techniques for clandestine grave location. The results provide previously unavailable information about the surface appearance of gravesites, detectable elements in grave soil and the use of geophysical survey instruments for this purpose in South Australia. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, School of Medical Sciences, Discipline of Anatomical Sciences, 2006.

Genetic research has increasing power to analyse old biological remains. Biological traces of well-known historical persons can reveal personal information. The aim of this thesis is to investigate ethical concerns for the dead, within the biological, historical and archaeological sciences. In philosophy there is a long-running discussion on whether or not the dead can be wronged. The good name is proposed as a candidate of a posthumous interest. It is first of all argued that slandering per se can be wrong regardless of posthumous wronging of the dead. Secondly, the concept of change is investigated. It is argued that the property of having a reputation is a relational property. Hence a change in public opinion of a dead person, is also a change in the dead person’s reputation. The third contribution of this thesis is a constructive proposal for how a posthumous identity could be understood using narrative theory. Understanding identity through the life-story opens up the possibility of a gradual loss of identity after death, rather than absolute loss at the moment of death. Fragments of a person‘s narrative identity can persist in other peoples’ narratives, and for some historical persons, their narratives can be found long after their death. Finally, the implications of a remaining narrative identity for the dead are investigated in the area of archaeology and museumology. In the past 30 years, there has been increasing critique about present and past discriminatory handling of old human remains by archaeologists, in museums and in other institutions. Increasing numbers of requests have been made for repatriation or reburial of old human remains. Following an analysis of three current ethical guidelines in handling old human remains, changes to these guidelines are proposed based on a narrative method to a hypothetical claim of reburial.

The repatriation of Aboriginal human remains is still a debated issue in some forums. However, among many Canadian museums and other institutions, repatriation of ancestral remains is no longer a debate. It has become part of an obligation institutions have to ‘decolonize’ their collections. While the question concerning whether repatriation is ‘the right thing to do’ has been recognized in most North American museums, trying to decide the best method to return the remains is still undecided. In examining how perceptions of human remains have changed in the Anglo-European, Haida and Ojibway cultures, an explanation of the importance of repatriation emerges. This thesis analyses how changes in perception have impacted the acceptance of repatriation among museums and other institutions and produced a discourse concerned with returning all Aboriginal remains back to Native communities. By analysing the experiences and opinions of 14 stakeholders in repatriation (collected during in-person and telephone conversations as well as open-ended questionnaires) I was able to garner a general opinion on the status of repatriation in Canada. It was found that the current method Canadian institutions employ to repatriate Aboriginal human remains adequately addresses the issue. Flaws are found in all methods of repatriation; however, presently, negotiations based on mediation and not litigation produce more valuable consultation relationships, more cooperation between institutions and Native groups, and a more beneficial repatriation experience.