Determination of a kinship system using ancient DNA,mortuary practice,and historic records in an upper Canadian pioneer cemetery

Recovered and amplified ancient DNA (aDNA), from a historically documented 19th century Upper Canadian pioneer cemetery produced genotypes that were used to infer a past societal kinship system. While the results from multiplex short tandem repeat (STR) amplifications showed an unreliable polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product, a single locus HUMTH01 analysis yielded reproducible data and an allelic frequency pattern not statistically different from modern populations. Mitochondrial (mt) DNA HVR II data showed that a combined cemetery database exhibited reduced haplotype diversity indicators, as well as clusters of probable maternally related burials. The chronological persistence and replacement of mtDNA clusters approximately every two generations suggests a patrilineal/patrilocal kinship structure from a virilocal burial program for the Harmony Road cemetery. Through the integration of the aDNA analysis with archaeological material culture, historic records, and other ethnohistoric sources of information, this conclusion is supported. In this study persisting patrilineally inherited surnames act as a surrogate for aDNA Y‐chromosome haplotype analysis. These results suggest that aDNA applications on aggregate skeletal collections where sparse, or no ethnological or historical documentation exists, may result in incorrect population history inferences if the presence of a kinship interment bias is not considered. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A medieval example of a sagittal cleft or ‘butterfly’ vertebra

A mature adult medieval male with a rare congenital anomaly, a sagittal‐cleft or butterfly vertebra, is presented. Clinical cases are frequently associated with axial as well as soft‐tissue defects. The present case, based only on skeletal evidence, appears to be an isolated finding. The aetiology of the clefting is outlined and palaeopathological evidence for the condition is included. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Settlement structures and cemetery at Wadi Shab-GAS1, Sultanate of Oman: Report on the 2002 and 2003 field seasons

Many chronological and cultural facets of Early and Middle Holocene Prehistoric Oman are still unclear. Archaeological excavations of settlements and cemeteries are adding new data to the reconstruction of a chronological and cultural framework. Wadi Shab-GAS1 is a Middle Holocene site found at the beginning of the 1980s and later destroyed by urbanisation. It is located in a rich environmental niche, on a cliff facing the sea and near a permanent freshwater source. Three years of fieldwork at this site brought to light structural remains, a cemetery and interesting material culture.     

重庆万州区青龙嘴墓地考古发掘简报

本发掘报告较为系统地介绍了2001年下半年度三峡库区青龙嘴墓地的发掘情况。本次发掘的主要是东汉到南朝时期的砖室墓和土坑墓,共22座,出土各种文物近400件,器物种类比较齐全,类型丰富,为研究长江流域同时期的考古学文化提供了一批重要的实物资料,同时对研究南北方文化的交流具有重要的参考价值。     

内蒙古和林格尔县新店子墓地发掘简报

1999年,在内蒙古和林格尔县新店子墓地发掘墓葬56座,出土大批铜、石、陶、骨、金器等。墓葬形制可分竖穴土坑、洞室、偏洞室三种,绝大多数存在殉牲现象。墓葬年代为春秋晚期至战国早期。此墓地与岱海、鄂尔多斯地区的同时期考古遗存既有共性,又有一定区别。墓地居民可能从事一种较为发达的游牧经济。     

安徽濉溪县董楼宋墓发掘简报

为配合修建合徐高速公路,安徽省文物考古研究所于2001年对濉溪县马桥乡董楼行政村蒋店的古代墓葬进行了发掘,共清理宋代墓葬51座,多为单室墓,双室和多室墓仅占少数。墓葬平面形制可分为腰鼓形、船形、蝉形、圆形及"中"字形,出土器物较少,仅见铜镜、瓷碗、铜饰品等。这批墓的大致年代当在北宋晚期。     

荥阳小胡村墓地出土部分铜器的科学分析

小胡村墓地为殷墟晚期"舌"氏家族墓地,为探讨其出土铜器的腐蚀特征,揭示其所蕴含制作技术和相应考古学信息,从而为器物保护修复提供科学依据,采用金相显微镜和扫描电镜及能谱仪对墓地出土12件铜器进行基体锈层结构和制作技术分析研究。研究表明,相较纯铜、铜锡和铜锡铅合金,铜铅合金耐腐蚀能力较弱,腐蚀严重;铜器经冷热加工处理易造成内部组织结构不均内应力残存,间接加速铜器腐蚀;12件铜器材质:纯铜2件、铜铅合金4件、铜锡合金3件和铜锡铅合金3件;仅2件兵器(刀M28:1、戈M38:1)经有意铸后热锻和冷加工,其余皆直接铸造成型。M21墓4件铜器皆为铜铅合金明器,小胡村墓地作为殷墟周边商文化系统,趋同商文化中心区,亦呈现部分中小贵族随葬铜器明器化现象。研究结果可为器物修复保护提供科学依据。     

Hidden in plain sight: mixed methods and the marble orchards of the Vlach Rom (Gypsies) in Toledo,Ohio

While American Romanies live a remarkably secretive cultural existence, their grave locations and memorial stones offer accessible evidence about their history and active, on-going communities. This article elaborates a less-intrusive ethnographic method that uses Romani cemetery data to explore and map the distributions and social networks of American Romani communities. This case study identifies Vlach Rom memorial sites located in Toledo, Ohio's Calvary Catholic Cemetery. Data were gathered on the memorials and spatially cataloged using a global positioning system (GPS). Additionally, genealogical data on the families were collected whenever available in order to construct and map family networks. Conjectures explaining the spatial distribution were tested by empirically investigating geographic information system (GIS) maps of different gravesite attributes. Land availability was the most likely factor determining the distribution. Evidence of Toledo Rom history and cultural practices were also gathered and reviewed from a qualitative analysis of the memorial stones. These discoveries have the potential to advance Romany studies—by applying modern analytic tools, GPS and GIS hardware and software to reveal otherwise “hidden” knowledge.     

A Bioarchaeological Investigation into the Human Remains Discovered in the Chloorkop Area,South Africa

In November 2008, human skeletal remains were discovered during construction works undertaken by Carlop Properties in the Chloorkop industrial area, Kempton Park, Gauteng. The Forensic Anthropology Unit of the University of Pretoria, Forensic Anthropology Research Centre (FARC) was notified, and rescue excavations of both the exposed and the undisturbed remains were undertaken. The skeletonised remains of at least 18 individuals were recovered and sent to the Department of Anatomy at the University of Pretoria for standard anthropological analysis. The identity and the time period of these human remains are unknown, and during social consultation, no relatives could be identified. Excavations revealed a formal burial pattern, which suggests a formal cemetery, probably associated with a historic institution. All individuals were buried in wooden coffins in an extended, supine position. The remains consist of both adult and juvenile remains. Some of the remains were found in a commingled state because of disturbance caused by construction work. The minimum number of individuals was determined by the visual pair matching of skeletal elements on the basis of similarities observed in bone morphology, age and sex, trauma and pathology and taphonomic alterations. Bioarchaeological techniques were used, and the following results were obtained. Of the 18 individuals, at least 15 were identified to be males, one possibly female and two juveniles. At least five of the adult male individuals presented with cut marks associated with standard autopsy procedures. No reference to the individuals' identity or to the context of the cemetery within the historical span of the Chloorkop area has been located. However, the burial pattern observed, as well as the demographic profile and pathology observed on the skeletal remains, suggests that these individuals could be linked to the Klipfontein Organic Products Factory (ca 1941s–1970s), which employed many migrant labourers, most to whom lived in compounds on the factory premises. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rib fractures in the archaeological record: a useful source of sociocultural information?

Investigation of palaeopathological fractures has been shown to provide important information on past societies. However, despite the fact that rib fractures are amongst the most commonly recorded types of fractures in archaeological bone, little attention has been paid to them. Although there will be sites with badly preserved ribs, making their study difficult, this will not always be the case. Recent clinical investigations have highlighted the potential significance of rib fractures with regard to morbidity and mortality, and their importance in relation to health is now appreciated. This study investigates rib fractures in 352 adults from St. Martin's churchyard, Birmingham, England. The crude prevalence of rib fractures was found to be 15.6% and the true prevalence rate 2.3%. The majority of the fractures occurred in males, and those buried in vaults were less likely to have a fracture than individuals from earth‐cut graves. In 11 individuals the fractures were healing at the time of death, and in these cases death was probably related to one of the complications that are frequently linked to fractured ribs. Certain types of accidents may have been linked to these more serious fractures, as 70% occurred in the same anatomical area. Other rib fractures were associated with pathological conditions, such as osteomalacia and osteoporosis. Overall, the study of the rib fractures in this collection provided valuable information that aided interpretation of the lifeways of individuals investigated. It is argued that where preservation permits, studies of fractures in archaeological bone should include ribs. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.