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Humanities and Art
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This article reports on the first three systematic excavation seasons at the Neolithic ossuary of Grotte de La Faucille, Belgium. The site was dated on human bone to 4266 ± 40 14C BP (3011-2702 cal BC; 2 sigma), corresponding to the... more
This article reports on the first three systematic excavation seasons at the Neolithic ossuary of Grotte de La Faucille, Belgium. The site was dated on human bone to 4266 ± 40 14C BP (3011-2702 cal BC; 2 sigma), corresponding to the transition from the late to the final Neolithic. The area excavated to date is clearly reworked and the individuals are distributed across the site. Further excavation will focus on the inferior levels at the entrance and inside the cave. This report presents the preliminary analysis of the anthropological and archaeological evidence recorded to date. Five archaeological artefacts were discovered made on bone, tooth and flint. The site has produced skeletal and dental remains of at least 12 humans (MNI 6 juveniles and 6 adults) as well as a number of bone and lithic artefacts. The skeletal remains are fragmentary and some elements, such as the cranium, are highly underrepresented given the number of individuals. The potential to find the remainder of at ...
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Geography and Archaeology
Paget’s Disease of Bone (PDB) is a chronic disease disrupting normal bone turnover. Through radiographic analysis PDB can be traced within an individual by stage. There are three stages; an osteoclastic phase comprising of increased bone... more
Paget’s Disease of Bone (PDB) is a chronic disease disrupting normal bone turnover. Through radiographic analysis PDB can be traced within an individual by stage. There are three stages; an osteoclastic phase comprising of increased bone resorption, followed by disordered osteoblastic remodelling. Consequently, this leads to bone enlargement, fragility and further complications such as pathological fractures and osteosarcoma. This condition is reported to occur more commonly in males and older individuals, but in the earlier stages it is often asymptomatic and can often remain undiagnosed, meaning its true frequency is unknown in archaeological and Modern individuals affected by PDB. Six cases have been previously diagnosed in the Medieval Norton Priory Collection, Cheshire, U.K. (n=130) and two within the Medieval Poulton Collection, Cheshire, U.K. (n=791). Each present macroscopic changes of PDB across 40-50% of their skeleton. Re-examination of these individuals through full radiographic analysis provided a more detailed view concerning the distribution and progression of the disease. Interestingly, lesions in earlier stages of PDB can be seen exhibiting bones internally, leading to >75% of the skeleton being affected. Full radiographic analysis is now in progress for all individuals from both Medieval collections. Here, we present a subsample from the Norton Collection (n=65) and the Poulton Collection (n=194) that have been examined. For Norton, an additional 22 cases of PDB have been identified and 73 for the Poulton Collection. These results suggest a much higher frequency than previously thought of PDB which warrants further investigation within these and other archaeological skeletal collections.
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The purpose of this chapter is twofold. First, an overview of intentional dental modification among sub-Saharan Africans is provided, with a focus on biological cause and effect. Methods for removal and alteration are described alongside... more
The purpose of this chapter is twofold. First, an overview of intentional dental modification among sub-Saharan Africans is provided, with a focus on biological cause and effect. Methods for removal and alteration are described alongside their short- and long-term effects. Oral trauma was not uncommon, ranging from mild to life threatening. Yet continuation of the practice indicates that the intended results outweighed any risks, including perceived and plausible benefits to individual reproductive fitness (e.g., Kikuyu and Batonga), internecine competition (Ashanti, San), and prevention (Acholi) or treatment of disease (Masai). The second goal is to document the proliferation of modification types emanating from western Africa. Intrusive “Bantu” migrants, who began (4,000–3,000 BP) a gradual, subcontinent-wide expansion from this region, brought their own specific methods. These styles, which can be tracked, came to influence and replace the practices of indigenous peoples.
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In the agricultural history of Africa, Nubia may have played a pivotal role in providing an easy dispersal mute for crops and agricultural technologies between the sub-Sabaran savannahs and the Mediterranean world. Nevertheless, die... more
In the agricultural history of Africa, Nubia may have played a pivotal role in providing an easy dispersal mute for crops and agricultural technologies between the sub-Sabaran savannahs and the Mediterranean world. Nevertheless, die quantity of arcliaeoboianical evidence with which to understand agricultural change in ancient Nubia and its rclarionship with that further north in Egypt or further south remains limited. The importance of the large botanical assemblage from Qasr Ibrim (Rowley-Conwy J 989; 1991) is widely recognized. ...
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Gebel Ramlah sits 150 km west of Abu Simbel in extreme southern Egypt. During much of the Holocene, a seasonal paleo-lake was present on the mountain’s south side that attracted Neolithic peoples. Many habitation sites are evident, but... more
Gebel Ramlah sits 150 km west of Abu Simbel in extreme southern Egypt. During much of the Holocene, a seasonal paleo-lake was present on the mountain’s south side that attracted Neolithic peoples. Many habitation sites are evident, but the Final Neolithic cemeteries exemplify this area. Since 2000 our team has investigated >200 burials and their human and cultural remains. Given the remote location most are undisturbed, but skeletal preservation is poor; remains not exposed by deflation and literally sand-blasted to pieces are very friable. Nevertheless, bioarchaeological analyses of remains in situ and in field labs have provided information on individual and group adaptation, interaction, and mobility during a critical prehistoric period.
Evidence suggests these semi-nomadic, intensive collectors/herders split time between the desert and Nile Valley. They apparently enjoyed exceptional skeletal health, including a lack of caries. Tall stature also suggests wellbeing, if not relatedness to southern peoples. Dental nonmetric affinities support the latter possibility. Grave good distribution is similar among invididuals irrespective of sex or age – including young children. And to date, a range of cemeteries has been found, varying in grave orientation, body position, and grave goods. Recently. one was found that contains 35 infants – accompanied in two instances by adult women whose graves include a neonate. Not only is it apparently the earliest defined by age category, but is the oldest cemetery in the Egyptian Western Desert, dating to the mid-fifth millennium BC. These various subjects are detailed and plans for future bioarchaeolgical investigations at Gebel Ramlah presented.
Evidence suggests these semi-nomadic, intensive collectors/herders split time between the desert and Nile Valley. They apparently enjoyed exceptional skeletal health, including a lack of caries. Tall stature also suggests wellbeing, if not relatedness to southern peoples. Dental nonmetric affinities support the latter possibility. Grave good distribution is similar among invididuals irrespective of sex or age – including young children. And to date, a range of cemeteries has been found, varying in grave orientation, body position, and grave goods. Recently. one was found that contains 35 infants – accompanied in two instances by adult women whose graves include a neonate. Not only is it apparently the earliest defined by age category, but is the oldest cemetery in the Egyptian Western Desert, dating to the mid-fifth millennium BC. These various subjects are detailed and plans for future bioarchaeolgical investigations at Gebel Ramlah presented.
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Some researchers posit population continuity between Late Palaeolithic hunter–gatherers of the late Pleistocene and Holocene agriculturalists from Lower (northern) Nubia, in northeast Africa. Substantial craniodental differences in these... more
Some researchers posit population continuity between Late Palaeolithic hunter–gatherers of the late Pleistocene and Holocene agriculturalists from Lower (northern) Nubia, in northeast Africa. Substantial craniodental differences in these time-successive groups are suggested to result from <i>in situ</i> evolution. Specifically, these populations are considered a model example for subsistence-related selection worldwide in the transition to agriculture. Others question continuity, with findings indicating that the largely homogeneous Holocene populations differ significantly from late Pleistocene Lower Nubians. If the latter are representative of the local populace, post-Pleistocene discontinuity is implied. So who was ancestral to the Holocene agriculturalists? Dental morphological analyses of 18 samples (1075 individuals), including one dated to the 12th millennium BCE from Al Khiday, near the Upper Nubian border, may provide an answer. It is the first Late Palaeolithic...
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Some researchers posit population continuity between Late Palaeolithic hunter–gatherers of the late Pleistocene and Holocene agriculturalists from Lower (northern) Nubia, in northeast Africa. Substantial craniodental differences in these... more
Some researchers posit population continuity between Late Palaeolithic hunter–gatherers of the late Pleistocene and Holocene agriculturalists from Lower (northern) Nubia, in northeast Africa. Substantial craniodental differences in these time-successive groups are suggested to result from in situ evolution. Specifically, these populations are considered a model example for subsistence-related selection worldwide in the transition to agriculture. Others question continuity, with findings indicating that the largely homogeneous Holocene populations differ significantly from late Pleistocene Lower Nubians. If the latter are representative of the local populace, post-Pleistocene discontinuity is implied. So who was ancestral to the Holocene agriculturalists? Dental morphological analyses of 18 samples (1075 individuals), including one dated to the 12th millennium BCE from Al Khiday, near the Upper Nubian border, may provide an answer. It is the first Late Palaeolithic sample ( n = 55) r...
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The paranthropines, including Paranthropus boisei and Paranthropus robustus, have often been considered hard-food specialists. The large post-canine teeth, thick enamel, and robust craniofacial features are often suggested to have evolved... more
The paranthropines, including Paranthropus boisei and Paranthropus robustus, have often been considered hard-food specialists. The large post-canine teeth, thick enamel, and robust craniofacial features are often suggested to have evolved to cope with habitual mastication of hard foods. Yet, direct evidence for Paranthropus feeding behaviour often challenges these morphological interpretations. The main exception being antemortem tooth chipping which is still regularly used as evidence of habitual mastication of hard foods in this genus. In this study, data were compiled from the literature for six hominin species (including P. boisei and P. robustus) and 17 extant primate species, to analyse Paranthropus chipping patterns in a broad comparative framework. Severity of fractures, position on the dentition, and overall prevalence were compared among species. The results indicate that both Paranthropus species had a lower prevalence of tooth fractures compared to other fossil hominin s...
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Geography, Neolithic Archaeology, Infant burial (Archaeology), North African prehistory (Archaeology), Neolithic, and 8 moreArchaeology of burials, Archaeology of death and burial, Cemeteries, Death and Burial Archaeology, Cemetery Studies, Neolithic of the Near East, neolithic of NE Africa, and Burial Practices Archaeology
This chapter details and expands upon the quantitative techniques in a separate study by the author to assess the credibility of ethnic group affiliations assigned to individuals in seven “Bantu” samples from the Dart Collection of Human... more
This chapter details and expands upon the quantitative techniques in a separate study by the author to assess the credibility of ethnic group affiliations assigned to individuals in seven “Bantu” samples from the Dart Collection of Human Skeletons; the potentially subjective way in which these affiliations were determined in the mid-20th century may call some into question. To address that objective, analyses of dental nonmetric data with the mean measure of divergence (MMD) yielded phenetic and, by extension, genetic intersample affinities for comparison with documented population relationships. Here the focus is on the MMD methods; the same is also now presented for the nonmetric Mahalanobis D 2 statistic during the course of analyzing these same samples. With some exceptions, both methods provide comparable results. Taken together, it is indicated that most if not all individuals in at least five samples were accurately identified. An abridged version of these findings is included.
: Contents: Research Procedures; Site Descriptions; Data Analysis: Lithic Materials, Ceramic Materials, Historic Materials, Organic Materials.
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Geography and Archaeology
Once considered rare in fossil hominins, caries has recently been reported in several hominin species, requiring a new assessment of this condition during human evolution. Caries prevalence and location on the teeth of South African... more
Once considered rare in fossil hominins, caries has recently been reported in several hominin species, requiring a new assessment of this condition during human evolution. Caries prevalence and location on the teeth of South African fossil hominins were observed and compared with published data from other hominin samples. Teeth were viewed macroscopically, with lesion position and severity noted and described. For all South African fossil hominin specimens studied to date, a total of 10 carious teeth (14 lesions), including 4 described for the first time here, have been observed. These carious teeth were found in a minimum of seven individuals, including five Paranthropus robustus, one early Homo, and one Homo naledi. All 14 lesions affected posterior teeth. The results suggest cariogenic biofilms and foods may have been present in the oral environment of a wide variety of hominins. Caries prevalence in studied fossil hominins is similar to those in pre-agricultural human groups, in...
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OBJECTIVES Size-corrected tooth crown measurements were used to estimate phenetic affinities among Homo naledi (~335-236 ka) and 11 other Plio-Pleistocene and recent species. To assess further their efficacy, and identify dental... more
OBJECTIVES Size-corrected tooth crown measurements were used to estimate phenetic affinities among Homo naledi (~335-236 ka) and 11 other Plio-Pleistocene and recent species. To assess further their efficacy, and identify dental evolutionary trends, the data were then quantitatively coded for phylogenetic analyses. Results from both methods contribute additional characterization of H. naledi relative to other hominins. MATERIALS AND METHODS After division by their geometric mean, scaled mesiodistal and buccolingual dimensions were used in tooth size apportionment analysis to compare H. naledi with Australopithecus africanus, A. afarensis, Paranthropus robustus, P. boisei, H. habilis, H. ergaster, H. erectus, H. heidelbergensis, H. neanderthalensis, H. sapiens, and Pan troglodytes. These data produce equivalently scaled samples unaffected by interspecific size differences. The data were then gap-weighted for Bayesian inference. RESULTS Congruence in interspecific relationships is evi...
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Dental pathology and wear data can provide valuable insights into diet, cultural practices, and the health of populations. In this study, various dental pathologies and types of wear were recorded for 41 individuals (914 permanent teeth),... more
Dental pathology and wear data can provide valuable insights into diet, cultural practices, and the health of populations. In this study, various dental pathologies and types of wear were recorded for 41 individuals (914 permanent teeth), excavated from the medieval cemetery of St. Owens Church in Southgate Street, Gloucester. Teeth were studied macroscopically with a 10x hand lens to confirm the presence of specific pathologies. Relatively high rates of antemortem chipping on the anterior teeth, and the presence of maxillary central incisor notches, suggested that the Gloucester population commonly used their teeth for non-masticatory activities. Abscessing and antemortem tooth loss fell within previously reported ranges for British medieval sites (2.6% and 6% respectively). However, the sample exhibits extremely high levels of carious lesions and calculus. Nearly 24% of teeth have at least one carious lesion, and the presence of calculus was recorded in 74% of teeth within the sam...
Dental pathology and wear data can provide valuable insights into diet, cultural practices, and the health of populations. In this study, various dental pathologies and types of wear were recorded for 41 individuals (914 permanent teeth),... more
Dental pathology and wear data can provide valuable insights into diet, cultural practices, and the health of populations. In this study, various dental pathologies and types of wear were recorded for 41 individuals (914 permanent teeth), excavated from the medieval cemetery of St. Owens Church in Southgate Street, Gloucester. Teeth were studied macroscopically with a 10x hand lens to confirm the presence of specific pathologies. Relatively high rates of antemortem chipping on the anterior teeth, and the presence of maxillary central incisor notches, suggested that the Gloucester population commonly used their teeth for non-masticatory activities. Abscessing and antemortem tooth loss fell within previously reported ranges for British medieval sites (2.6% and 6% respectively). However, the sample exhibits extremely high levels of carious lesions and calculus. Nearly 24% of teeth have at least one carious lesion, and the presence of calculus was recorded in 74% of teeth within the sam...
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A new species of Homo, Homo naledi, was described in 2015 based on the hominin skeletal remains from the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, South Africa. Subsequent craniodental comparative analyses, both phenetic and... more
A new species of Homo, Homo naledi, was described in 2015 based on the hominin skeletal remains from the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, South Africa. Subsequent craniodental comparative analyses, both phenetic and cladistic, served to support its taxonomic distinctiveness. Here we provide a new quantitative analysis, where up to 78 nonmetric crown and root traits of the permanent dentition were compared among samples of H. naledi (including remains from the recently discovered Lesedi Chamber) and eight other species from Africa: Australopithecus afarensis, Australopithecus africanus, Paranthropus boisei, Paranthropus robustus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Middle Pleistocene Homo sp., and Pleistocene and Holocene Homo sapiens. By using the mean measure of divergence distance statistic, phenetic affinities were calculated among samples to evaluate interspecific relatedness. The objective was to compare the results with those previously obtained, to assess further the ...
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... Kenya 20th cent. AD Kenya (KEN) Kenya, Tanzania Kikuyu, Swahili, Chaga, ... Moreover, the &amp;#x27;B-Group&amp;#x27; (again see Table 1) is no longer considered a distinct Nubian cultural period; thus, there is no... more
... Kenya 20th cent. AD Kenya (KEN) Kenya, Tanzania Kikuyu, Swahili, Chaga, ... Moreover, the &amp;#x27;B-Group&amp;#x27; (again see Table 1) is no longer considered a distinct Nubian cultural period; thus, there is no corresponding dental sample in this one case. Kenya (KEN) consists of Bantu-...