ANTH 215D

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ANTH 215D Week 8B Written in the
Bone Bioarchaeology

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SITE FORMATION PROCESSES
SYSTEMIC CONTEXT
Reuse Processes
Reclamation Processes
Depositional Processes
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Disturbance Processes
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BONE
SITE FORMATION PROCESSES
SYSTEMIC CONTEXT
Biological Cultural
Reuse Processes
Reclamation Processes
Depositional Processes
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Taphonomic
Disturbance Processes
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BONE FORMATION PROCESSES
SYSTEMIC CONTEXT
Biological Cultural Processes
Reclamation Processes
Depositional Processes
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Taphonomic Processes
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Bioarchaeology

• archaeological bone seems dead, dry, inert
• in fact,
• once part of living system
• biological cultural processes
• now part of archaeological system
• taphonomic processes

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One Postulate BONE IS A LIVING TISSUE Four
Principles HOW BONE LIVES Six Corollaries HOW
LIFE EVENTS ARE WRITTEN IN THE BONE
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BONE IS LIVING TISSUE

• growth development depend on balance between
  bone formation and resorption
• osteoclasts destroy old bone, osteoblasts
  construct new bone remodeling
• normal growth requires calcium, phosphorus,
  vitamins A, C, D and hormones
• bone contains DNA

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BONE IS LIVING TISSUE

• I. BONE CHANGES OVER THE LIFE CYCLE
• tooth eruption
• increase in size
• epiphyseal union
• suture closure

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BONE IS LIVING TISSUE

• II. BONE IS VULNERABLE TO DISEASE
• osteomyelitis
• TB
• AIDS

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BONE IS LIVING TISSUE

• III. BONE RESPONDS TO NUTRITIONAL STRESS
• rickets
• osteomalacia, osteoporosis
• porotic hyperostosis
• Harris lines
• dental hypoplasias

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BONE IS LIVING TISSUE

• III. BONE RESPONDS TO NUTRITIONAL STRESS
• rickets
• osteomalacia, osteoporosis
• porotic hyperostosis
• Harris lines
• dental hypoplasias

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BONE IS LIVING TISSUE

• IV. BONE IS VULNERABLE TO DAMAGE
• type of fractures
• degree of healing
• frequency of trauma
• mechanical stress

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BONE IS LIVING TISSUE

• V. BONE IS SHAPED BY CULTURE
• cranial deformation
• filed, filled, decorated teeth
• trephination
• amputated digits
• bound feet

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BONE IS LIVING TISSUE

• VI. BONE REFLECTS ENVIRONMENT
• strontium
• stable carbon isotopes

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REFLECTS ENVIRONMENT
CHANGES OVER LIFE CYCLE
BONE IS LIVING TISSUE
VULNERABLE TO DISEASE
NUTRITIONAL STRESS
SUFFERS DAMAGE
SHAPED BY CULTURE
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TB
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RICKETS
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Pagets disease
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dental hypoplasia disruption of enamel
formation due to stress in early childhood
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dental hypoplasia
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porotic hyperostosis lesions in the outer surface
of the bone of the skull due to anemia
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porotic hyperostosis
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porotic hyperostosis
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cribra orbitalia hyperostosis occuring in the
orbits also due to anemia
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Harris lines seen in radiograph shows multiple
episodes of arrested growth in childhood due to
malnutrition or disease
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dental caries due to high carbohydrate diet
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edentulous individual
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osteoarthritis marginal lipping of spine
articular surface of femur
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cut marks on temporal bone
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anatomical position of cuts scalping
or defleshing
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• http//www.cr.nps.gov/archeology/kennewick/walker.
  htm
• Extensive discussion of taphonomy of Kennewick