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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
21

The Crypt People from the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Stanislaus and Vladislaus, Vilnius, Lithuania: Reconstruction of Life Histories Using Stable Isotope Analysis

Schotten, Kaylee 01 January 2015 (has links)
Stable isotope analyses of multiple tissue types have been used to reconstruct life histories of individuals from past populations. This thesis presents the life history reconstructions of a unique population recovered from a 16th to 18th century cathedral crypt located in Vilnius, Lithuania. The sample consists of 23 individuals (21 males, one possible female, and one juvenile). Stable carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope analyses were performed on bone and dentin collagen, and on bone and enamel hydroxyapatite, resulting in eight isotope values per individual, providing both childhood and adult dietary and migration information. For bone collagen the average δ13C isotope ratio is -19.9‰ +/- 0.4 and for δ15N is 11.8‰ +/- 0.9. The average δ13C isotope ratio for collagen extracted from dentin is -19.5‰ +/- 0.4 and for δ15N is 11.4‰ +/- 0.9. The bone apatite average δ13C ratio is -14.2‰ +/- 0.9, and the average δ13C enamel ratio enamel is -13.5‰ +/- 1.5. These values indicate a diet in both early childhood and adulthood that was heavily reliant on C3 plants; a result supported by previous isotopic studies from Lithuania and surrounding countries. The average δ18OVSMOW bone apatite ratio is 26.1‰ +/- 1.0 and the average enamel δ18OVSMOW ratio is 24.9‰ +/- 1.5. The δ18O isotope values suggest that the majority of these individuals were born elsewhere and migrated to the city of Vilnius sometime after their childhood years. Stable isotope analyses, in combination with macroscopic examination, aids in the understanding of those who were buried in this unique location.
22

Mill Cove Complex Lithic Typology: Understanding Early Mississippian Period Social Exchange in Northeastern Florida

Johns, Sherman 01 January 2020 (has links)
A large focus of Mississippian period archaeological research concerns itself with the role groups have played in the long distance social exchange networks prevalent across the Mississippian World. The Mill Cove Complex, a Mississippian period (A.D. 900-1250) village and dual sand mound burial complex situated on the periphery of the Mississippian World in Jacksonville, Florida is one such case. The St. Johns II people living at the Mill Cove Complex had connections deep into the Mississippian southeast reaching all the way to Cahokia. Understanding the role of these unique people within the large social networks requires an examination of all archaeological material recovered from the site. The lithic assemblage from modern excavations (1999 – present) is the final missing component in building this understanding. This lithic typology, based upon macroscopic and geochemical analysis, provides the final foundational set of data required for future research necessary to gain a more complete view of the St. Johns II people and their role in Mississippian long distance social exchange. It lends insight into local community practices as well, highlighting the importance of lithic raw material in ritual use, illustrating direct connections with Cahokia based upon the presence of projectile points from the American Bottom, and demonstrating the resourcefulness of a people who overcame a lack of raw material within their geographic area through the maintenance of social networks and conservative use and maximization of procured stone resources.
23

Forests and Farmers: A Landscape Approach to Settlement Pattern Analysis in the Bolivian Amazon

Lee, Thomas 01 January 2020 (has links)
The Llanos de Mojos of the Bolivian Amazon is a domesticated landscape with a long history of management by pre-Columbian communities. This project uses a landscape approach to interpret the settlement patterns of pre-Columbian raised field farmers in west central Mojos. The pre-Columbian landscape was reconstructed by mapping the distribution of three types of landscape features: forest islands, raised agricultural fields and water systems (rivers, streams & wetlands). Previous research has identified four types of patterned clustering or 'constellations' of these landscape features in west central Mojos. These constellations and the immediate area of the landscape that surrounds them afforded Mojos farmers a specific set of tasks or activities related to harnessing resources from the landscape. The mapping of landscape features and their associated tasks provides insight into the organization of the communities that constructed and managed them. It was found that the landscape of west central Mojos is organized into two distinct regional patterns. In the northern part of the region, evidence of large farming communities is dispersed along the banks of permanent rivers with networks of landscape features extending off into remote areas of the savanna. In the southern part of the region, evidence of large farming communities is clustered closer together in remote areas of the savanna with networks of landscape features extending back towards the permanent rivers. The two regions are melded together by a transitional zone that implies interaction between the regions rather than a distinct separation.
24

Meroitic Childhood Diet and Weaning at Sai Island, Sudan: A Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopic Study of Site 8-B-52.B

Raisor, Brenna 01 January 2020 (has links)
This research explores the diet and weaning patterns of non-adult individuals from an elite Meroitic (300 BCE – 350 CE) cemetery (8-B-52.B) at Sai Island, Sudan. This was accomplished by conducting stable isotopic analyses of carbon and nitrogen on a sample of 54 individuals. These analyses focused on differences in adult and non-adult diet, non-adult weaning patterns, and intra-elite differences between contemporaneous cemeteries at Sai Island in order to shed light on the patterns of non-adult diet and weaning and the mother-infant dynamic. The non-adult individuals range from 36 weeks gestational age to 16.5 years of age, and the adult individuals ranged from 18 to 60 years of age. The non-adult individuals were divided into five age categories based on physiological stages of childhood to explore life course changes. The isotopic values for each individual and age category were analyzed and compared to determine the diet and weaning patterns of this sample. The results suggest that the adults and non-adults were consuming a homogenous diet with the exception of breastfeeding children, who exhibited enriched d15N and d13C values compared to the other adults and non-adults in the sample. The isotopic data suggest that non-adults in this sample were likely weaned by 3 years of age as inferred from the assimilation of non-adult d15N values to those exhibited by adult females. Lastly, no statistically significant differences in non-adult diet and weaning existed between the contemporaneous sites 8-B-52.B and 8-B-5.A on Sai Island, suggesting homogenous patterns of diet and weaning between the religious and wealthy elite in this population. This study demonstrates the relationship between social status, age, and dietary patterns during the Meroitic period, but more significantly illustrates the patterns of early life feeding and weaning behaviors that influence the relationship between a mother and her infant.
25

Household Economies and Socioeconomic Integration: An Analysis of Obsidian Artifacts from Coba, Quintana Roo and Yaxuna, Yucatan, Mexico

Waite, Danielle 01 January 2020 (has links)
Using Handheld XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence), this thesis explores how household economies at two Maya archaeological sites, Coba and Yaxuna, differed during a period of expansion and integration from the Early to Late Classic transition period (A.D. 500-750/800). Previous research suggests that during this time, Yaxuna was under the direction of Coba, however, due to the lack of household archaeology at both sites, how the bridging of these two centers impacted households and their domestic economies remains unknown. A compositional analysis of 1,186 obsidian artifacts recovered by the Proyecto de Interaccion Politica del Centro de Yucatan and the Proyecto Sacbe Yaxuna-Coba suggests household groups at Coba and Yaxuna had differential access to obsidian sources throughout the Classic period. While Coba and Yaxuna both exploited obsidian sources consistent with the overarching trend of obsidian consumption in the Classic period Maya lowlands, residents at Yaxuna exploited a greater diversity of obsidian sources. This variation is similar to that found at other Classic period centers of the northern lowlands. Yaxuna's greater access to obsidian sources may not only be related to its role in widespread trade networks from the Middle Formative into the Classic periods, but also to Coba's interest and incorporation of the site. This research is the first to explore household consumption of obsidian during the Early to Late Classic periods at Coba and Yaxuna, therefore contributing an essential bottom-up approach to understanding the socioeconomic relationship between these two centers during a period of expansion and integration.
26

Paleoethnobotanical Analysis of Starch Grains and Phytoliths from Pre-Columbian Ceramic Residues in the Bolivian Amazon

Young, Danielle 01 January 2020 (has links)
The Llanos de Mojos of the southwestern Amazon region of Bolivia once supported large Pre-Columbian indigenous populations who were regarded as skilled farmers, and whose agricultural pursuits are still documented on the landscape through tens of thousands of raised fields. Nevertheless, the plants that were cultivated on these fields that contributed to a large part of the local cuisine are not well understood. Microbotanical analyses using starch grains and phytoliths of food residues were conducted on 55 archaeological ceramic fragments from four forest islands in Mojos where people resided recurrently from cal BCE 1200 to cal CE ~1430. The results of these analyses identified and described several economic plants known ethnohistorically as cultigens in Mojos and several potential cultigens not yet known. The results indicate the cuisine of peoples in Mojos may have been composed of a rich variety of plants that were likely cultivated on the raised fields. In addition, this study identified damage to starch grains related to food preparation and contributes to our understanding of cooking techniques. Linking plants, cuisine, and material culture in this way enhances our understanding of subsistence strategies in the past, and potentially supports sustainable agricultural strategies to mitigate food insecurity in vulnerable communities today.
27

Working Toward a Lost Cause? Comparing pXRF Analysis to Neutron Activation Analysis using Maya Ceramics from Holtun, Guatemala

Whyte, Rachel 01 January 2020 (has links)
Recent research has demonstrated that Handheld (portable) X-ray fluorescence spectrometers (pXRF) have difficulty in consistently and accurately determining chemical composition of non-homogenous cultural materials such as ceramics. This is unfortunate as pXRF instruments have proven to produce accurate and consistent compositional data for other archaeological materials like obsidian and metal. They are also known for being a non-destructive way to test chemical composition, maintaining the artifacts' integrity; saving time, money and solving issues related to the transportation of artifacts. While pXRF instruments do not always perform as well as conventional methods, such as Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), bench-top XRF, and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), they still allow archaeologists to identify other patterns related to composition. In this thesis I report on the chemical compositional patterns generated through handheld XRF study of ceramic sherds from the Maya site of Holtun, Guatemala. These sherds have been previously run with NAA and subject to petrographic analysis. I compare the pXRF data for ceramic pastes with NAA to further test limitations of pXRF on archaeological ceramic pastes, and to identify any patterns unique to pXRF analysis.
28

A Landscape of Death: A Comparison of Non-adult to Adult Burials at the Late Bronze Age Site of Tell el-Far'ah (South)

Reeves, Rebecca 01 January 2018 (has links)
This study aims to determine whether there are any differences in the burial practices for non-adults and adults at the Late Bronze Age site of Tell el-Far'ah (South) in modern day Israel. The archaeology of childhood together with various methods of analyses, including geospatial and statistical techniques, were utilized to address the main research question focused on the spatial differences and relationships between non-adult and adult burials. There are missing children in the archeological record. Tell el-Far'ah (South) is an example of this phenomenon. Reasons vary from taphonomy to potential infanticide. Based on the currently available data, it seems that the people of Tell el-Far'ah (South) understood non-adults as both similar to and dissimilar from adults. In sum, this is not a comprehensive or conclusive study, but rather serves to shed light on the lack of attention in the archaeology of childhood and more generally on the need for greater integration of the anthropological subfields.
29

Estimation of Weaning Patterns in the Elite Meroitic Population (8-B-5.A) from Sai Island, Sudan Using Stable Nitrogen and Carbon Isotopes

Gregoire, Rachel 01 January 2019 (has links)
This research explores dietary patterns of elite non-adults from the Meroitic period (300 BC – AD 350) located in Sai Island, Sudan. The cemetery (8-B-5.A) is believed to have been in use during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Non-adults were chosen because they offer a unique, and often ignored, perspective into customs of past populations. Children require significant energy, which impacts how society feeds and cares for their young. Knowledge of their elite status in society will be consider to explore how this subset of the population may have differed in behavior. A significant factor of child life is access to food. One way to examine this aspect of past populations is to reconstruct infant weaning and feeding patterns using stable isotope analysis. This study analyzes stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes from the bone collagen of 31 non-adult individuals, ranging in age from 38 weeks to 16 years. Stable nitrogen isotopes are used to identify if the infants have higher trophic levels than their mothers, an indication of breastfeeding, and stable carbon isotopes are used to identify potential weaning foods. Taken together, and compared against sample ages, the longevity of the weaning process is considered, particularly when compared to adult male and female isotope values. Isotopic results indicate that non-adults in this population were weaned between 2-4 years of age and weaning foods were a combination of C3 and C4 plant food sources. Significant variation in isotope values was found in the younger non-adults, which indicates a potential difference in weaning style. These results can be built upon in further studies to further explore the motives of elite Meroitic parents.
30

Chemical Composition of Preclassic-Period Maya Slips: Analysis and Interpretation of Flores Waxy Ware and Paso Caballo Waxy Ware Sherds from Holtun, Guatemala Using pXRF Spectrometry

Kebler, Anna 01 May 2019 (has links)
Slip, a fluid suspension of clay that is applied to the surface of a piece of ceramic, allows for increased control over the functional and aesthetic properties of a finished vessel. The potter can select a slip to provide a more appealing color, texture, and/or luster to the vessel's surface, while maintaining the favorable functional qualities of the paste. Though slip color has long been used as an attribute for classification in the Maya lowlands, only recently have the raw materials of slips been used to inform studies of production and exchange, with much of this work using Late and Terminal Classic-period ceramics and analysis techniques that require taking small samples of each ceramic to be analyzed. Such studies present an incomplete picture of Maya slips, since they only include later ceramics and exclude vessels from which samples cannot be taken. This thesis broadens our understanding of Maya slips by 1) establishing portable x-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometry as a nondestructive analysis technique that can be used to chemically characterize slips on a wide range of sherd sizes and whole vessels, and 2) determining the chemical compositions of red, cream, and black slips on Middle and Late Preclassic-period ceramic sherds excavated in 2017 from Holtun, Guatemala. The data produced through pXRF spectrometry revealed that red slips were chemically distinct from the other two colors, while white and black slips were chemically indistinct. Iron, zinc, molybdenum, tin, and antimony concentrations were the principal determinants of compositional groups. These results indicate that these elements are of primary interest in sourcing the clays used to make the slips, and trends in the chemical composition of each color have the potential to reveal much about Maya potters' processes and standardization in slip production.

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