Module 7 Flashcards
Mortuary variability
Different dimensions of human burials (or burial populations) that can be studied
cultural modification
Changes to the human skeleton brought about by cultural behaviour, whether intentional or not
skeletal articulation
Refers to skeletal remains that are still in anatomical position
Post-mortem skeletal modification
Changes to the skeleton that occur after death
mortuary facility
Area where human remains are interred
inhumation
Burial of the deceased in the ground
Grave inclusions or grave goods
Items deliberately buried with the deceased
Age of incorporation
Age at which someone becomes a “person” within their society
Pueblo II Culture
Archaeologically defined culture phase in the northern American southwest, characterized by black-on-white pottery and multi-room pueblo structures
Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon
Large pueblo site in NW New Mexico
Hereditary leaders
People who are leaders because they are born into that position
Moche Culture
Archaeologically defined culture in Peru, characterized by elaborate ceramics, including fine-line painted vessels and mold-made vessels (including pornographic designs)
Lord of Sipán
Burial of elite individual of the Moche culture, believed to be a ruler due to the inclusions in the burial; one of the most elaborate burials ever discovered in the Americas.
burial communication
Idea that a human burial informs about the social position of the person buried
Grave Inclusion
Items deliberately buried with the deceased
Status
A person of higher status participates in a wider network of obligations than a person of lower status
Network of Obligations
Social duties required of a person
Social inequality
Assumes that status is rank ordered, with arbitrary divisions in the system
Social heterogeneity
Positions within society that are inherently unordered
socioeconomic status
Position in society based upon access to social resources
Relative status
Status differences that are not measured in absolute terms
Social Interaction
Social interaction can be exchanged for other resources
Elite
Top level of status
Stratification
Idea that there are multiple levels of social status (not just one or two)
storage technology and status
Ability to store things, especially food, leads to creation of surplus; surplus items can be exchanged for status items
emulation
Attempt to portray oneself as having the same access to scarce resources as elites, usually involving “counterfeit” goods
Competitive display
Attempts to demonstrate high levels of social status through displays of wealth, such as destroying valuable items, providing massive amounts of food to the entire population, etc.
Elite and prestige goods
Goods available only to certain members of society, often a physical demonstration of social position
Social status
vs
Social identity
vs
Social persona
Position of an individual within their society
vs
The role by which a person is perceived in their society
vs
The combination of roles a person has within their society
Mortuary differentiation
Differences in burial
Mortuary complexity
The degree of effort put into burying the dead, reflected in the degree of elaboration in their burial
Creating and perpetuating ideology
Espousing and reiterating ideas within a society
Idealized social relationships
Social relationships presented as being proper or appropriate
Legitimization
A social explanation for why certain people or groups have more social power than others
Paleopathology
Evidence for illness or trauma seen in the skeleton
Porotic hyperostosis
Result of anemia; bone of the skull takes on a spongey appearance
Cribra orbitalia
Result of anemia; bone (normally in upper eye sockets) becomes porous
Paleodemography
Estimation of population size and structure for ancient society
Mortality profile
Age and sex distribution for a deceased population (such as a cemetery)
Hyoid
Free-floating bone in the throat; “Adam’s apple”
Harris lines
Lines of arrested growth in bone, typically the result of dietary or other forms of physiological stress during growth
Enamel hypoplasias
Lines of arrested growth in tooth enamel, typically the result of dietary or other forms of physiological stress during growth
Osteoarthritis
Disorder where the cartilage between bones wears away, often resulting in boney spurs (eburnation)
Dental caries
Dental cavities
Bone collagen
Organic component of bone
Stable isotopes
isotopes that are not radioactive and do not decay
C3 plants
plants from a moderate temperature zone with a specific metabolic pathway: trees, shrubs, wheat
C4 plants
Plants from a hot dry environment with a specific metabolic pathway: maize, tropical grasses
C4 rich diet isotopic signature
Isotopic evidence of a diet rich in C4 plants
Marrow extraction
Practice of removing bone marrow, typically by breaking bones open
Pot polish
Distinctive pattern of wear observed on bones cooked in a pot
Molecular archaeology
Use of genetic information in ancient human remains to reconstruct the past
Nuclear DNA
Genetic material found in a cell’s nucleus, responsible for an individual’s inherited traits
Mitochondrial DNA (mDNA)
Genetic material found in the mitochondria of cells; inherited only from the mother
Denisovan
Name given to hominin form (known primarily from DNA) first discovered in Denisova Cave; considered a “sister” group to Neanderthals
Ancient DNA (aDNA)
DNA recovered from organic materials in archaeological sites
Neandertals
Fossil species of hominins, generally considered to be “cousins” to modern humans
Neandertal and modern human DNA similarities
Points where DNA converge between two hominin groups
NISP
Number of Identified Specimens (sometimes Number of Identified Specimens Present): raw count of identifiable bone fragments
MNI
Minimum Number of Individuals
Grand Mean Total
Part of MNI calculation: number of paired elements, divided by 2, + unpaired bones
Sexing
Attribution of the biological sex of a skeleton
“Rule of thumb” in sex determination
Attributing biological sex to a skeleton based on the shape of the sciatic notch of the innominate
Sciatic notch shape
Common diagnostic trait used to attribute the biological sex of a skeleton
Race Determination
Attribution of human skeletal remains to a particular genetic group
Epiphyseal fusion (union)
Normal, natural fusion of ends of a long bone (epiphyses) to the shaft (diaphysis)
Axial skeleton
Cranium, vertebral column (including sacrum), and ribs (including sternum)
Appendicular skeleton
Any part of the skeleton that is not axial
Cranium
Skull, including the mandible (jaw)
Foramen magnum
Large opening at the base of the skull permitting the spinal cord to connect to the brain
Dental formula
Name given to number of each type of tooth in each quandrant of the mouth; in humans, 2-1-2-3
Incisor teeth
2 central teeth in both upper and lower jaw
Canine teeth
Single tooth in both upper and lower jaw
Premolar teeth
2 teeth between canine and molars in both upper and lower jaw; aka bicuspids
Molar teeth
3 chewing teeth in both upper and lower jaws; 3rd molar also known as “wisdom” tooth, not present in all people
Vertebral column
Name given to all of the vertebrae; sometimes referred to as the “spinal column”
Cervical vertebrae
7 vertebrae of the neck; C1 known as Atlas; C2 known as Axis
Thoracic vertebrae
12 vertebrae where the ribs attach.
Lumbar vertebrae
5 vertebrae of the lower back
Sacrum
5 naturally fused vertebrae; articulates with the innominates to form the pelvis
Coxxyc vertebrae
“tail bone” vertebrae; numbers vary, but typically 3-5
innominate
Name given to 3 naturally fused bones, forming a portion of the pelvis
Ischium
One of three bones in the innominate; easiest to feel by sitting on a very hard surface, such as a concrete bench
Pubis
One of three bones in the innominate; left and right pubic bones fuse together
Ilium
One of three bones in the innominate; iliac crest can be felt just below the belt
Acetabulum
Socket joint where head of femur articulates with innominate; at fusion point for all three bones of the innominate
Femur
Upper leg bone or thigh bone
Tibia
One of two lower leg bones (shin bone)
Fibula
One of two lower leg bones; distal fibula often confused for the lateral “ankle”
Scapula
“shoulder blade”, part of the pelvic girdle
Clavicle
collar bone”
Humerus
Upper arm bone, part of the pelvic girdle
Ulna
One of two lower arm bones (forearm); point of elbow is the unla
Radius
One of two lower arm bones (forearm)
Talus
“ankle” bone
Calcaneus
“heel” bone
Tarsals
Short bones of the feet
Metatarsals
Long bones of the feet
Pes phalanges
toes
Carpals
8 small bones of the writs
Metacarpals
Long bones of the hands
Manus phalanges
fingers
