Temporal trends in femoral diaphyseal torsional asymmetry among the Arikara associated with postural behavior

Average femoral torsion has been reported to differ among populations, and several studies have observed a relatively high prevalence of femoral anteversion asymmetry in Native Americans, especially females. This study investigates sexual dimorphism and temporal trends in femoral torsional asymmetry among the Arikara from the seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. To establish if there are population differences, femoral torsion was first measured using a direct method on a diverse comparative sample of Native Americans from the Southwest, Midwest, and Great Plains as well as American Whites and Blacks. To examine temporal trends among the Arikara, femoral torsion was examined using the orientation of the maximum bending rigidity at subtrochanteric in 154 females and 164 males from three temporal variants of the Arikara Coalescent tradition. There is significant sexual dimorphism in femoral torsional directional and absolute asymmetry among most Native American samples, but not among American Whites and Blacks. Among the Arikara there is significant sexual dimorphism in femoral torsional asymmetry in all three temporal variants, and asymmetry in femoral torsional asymmetry increased significantly from the protohistoric to the early historic period among females. The increased femoral torsional asymmetry is likely associated with a common side‐sitting posture observed in historic photographs of Great Plains females. Historic Arikara females may have habitually sat in this compulsory position for extended periods while conducting domestic chores. The dramatic change from the protohistoric to historic period suggests a cultural change in sitting posture among females that was widespread across the Northern Plains. Am J Phys Anthropol 154:512–524, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Craniometric Relationships of Plains Populations: Historical and Evolutionary Implications

Abstract

Large skeletal samples from cemeteries in the Northern Plains near Mobridge, South Dakota have made possible the accurate determination of craniometric relationships between populations ancestoral to the historic Arikara. There is considerable change throughout the approximately 200 years represented, due primarily to gene flow from adjacent Siouan speaking groups. Arikara crania from the Northern Plains are seen to be morphologically similar to earlier crania further south, in particular St. Helena materials in northeastern Nebraska. This offers Support for the archaeological hypothesis that Coalescent Tradition cultures grew out of the Central Plains Tradition. Early crania from the Northern Plains are markedly different from those in the Central Plains and more similar to historic Mandan. The craniometric evidence argues for biological continuity rather than replacement in the Plains area.     

Nutrition and health at contact in late prehistoric central Gulf Coast Florida

This paper presents an analysis of human remains from Tatham Mound, a dual-component mortuary site from central Gulf Coast Florida. The human remains from Tatham are significant because they come from a limited time period during the initial contact with Europeans at AD 1525-1550. Dietary reconstruction demonstrates that at the time of European contact, maize was not a predominant dietary item. Low frequencies for several dental and skeletal pathological indicators are consistent with relatively good health as compared to other Southeastern late prehistoric and protohistoric populations. Despite the limited time period represented by the mound population, critical interactions occurred between Native Americans and Spaniards, as indicated by skeletal elements severed by metal weapons. The Tatham population is significant because it is one of the earliest studied populations contacted by Europeans in North America, and the only one with well-documented sharp-force trauma that represents intergroup hostility.     

Craniometric Variation In The Northern And Central Plains

Abstract

Cranial measurements of 13 male and 12 female samples from the Central and Northern Plains region were subjected to canonical analysis. The samples include historic or protohistoric crania that can be ascribed to the Arikara, Mandan, Pawnee, Ponca and Omaha tribes. In addition, two samples belong to the archaeologically defined St. Helena Focus. Both sexes yielded five significant canonical variates, although only four were readily interpretable. The first canonical variate is clearly a Siouan-Caddoan discriminator and reflects variation in cranial vault height. St. Helena sites associate with the Arikara on this axis, supporting previous craniometric analyses which suggest a relationship between these two groups. Subsequent canonical variates deal with more particular aspects of craniometric variation among groups, but are still interpretable in historic or evolutionary terms. The classificatory analysis shows that the Arikara sites are closely related. A major exception to this is the Sully site, which frequently misclassifies with non-Arikara groups. This suggests that the Sully crania have little collective reality; and that there may be non-Arikara components represented at the Sully Site.     

Two Mummies From The Pitchfork Rock Shelter In Northwestern Wyoming

Abstract

A protohistoric rock shelter burial from the Pitchfork Site in northwestern Wyoming produced two partially mummified skeletons of young adult male American Indians. Preserved clothing, buffalorobes, trade goods and additional cultural items were present. Equally well preserved is the twisted and braided scalp hair of one mummy, andother bodily tissues sufficiently preserved to reveal forms of cultural modification and ornamentation. Osteological analysis of the specimens reveals patterns of physical characteristics typical of Late Prehistoric and protohistoric populations of the northwestern Plains.     

Demographic and Osteological Evidence for Warfare at the Larson Site,South Dakota

Abstract

A demographic and osteological analysis of skeletons from the Larson Village Site (39WW2), Walworth County, South Dakota, is presented. The site was an Arikara village dating to about A.D. 1750-1785. Within the village, the scattered and commingled bones of 71 individuals were discovered. Sixty-one of the skeletons were on earthlodge floors, an extremely unusual occurrence in the Plains. The objective of this analysis was to determine whether the cause responsible for these unburied remains was Intertribal warfare: the evidence is strong that it was.     

Evidence of probable scurvy in subadults from archeological sites in North America

The authors surveyed subadult human skeletons from Native American archeological sites in the United States for evidence of skeletal lesions associated with scurvy. Geographic regions surveyed include the Midatlantic area, the Southeast (Florida), the Southwest, and the Plains. The prevalence of probable subadult scurvy ranged from zero in the Plains samples to 38% in a small sample from Florida. These data indicate the likelihood that scurvy was a significant childhood disease in many Native American groups. Reasons for variation in prevalence remain speculative but include regional and seasonal variation in food types and abundance, cultural patterns of storage and utilization, periodic food shortages, and the relative importance of corn in the diet. These factors are part of a nutritional complex that is related to disease prevalence which can be studied through evidence seen in archeological human remains.     

Dental Discriminant Sexing of Arikara Skeletons

Abstract

Two discriminant functions based on buccolingual and mesiodistal dental measurements are presented. These formulae aid sex determination of Arikara Indian skeletons recovered from the Northern Plains. Formula verification techniques indicate sex identification accuracy of at least 80%. These formulae are useful when skeletal preservation is poor or as an aid in sexing subadults.     

Arrests,Alcohol, and Alcohol Legalization Among an American Indian Tribe

Abstract

In the entire history of the contact between American Indians and Western culture, alcohol has been a source of friction and controversy. This paper attempts to define the contemporary and historical relationship between alcohol, arrests and the Indians of a large tribe on the Great Plains. The situation on and off the Reservation is explored during periods of prohibition and also during one short legalization period. Some questions are raised regarding the relationships between Native American drinking patterns and the unique legal status which alcohol has had in relation to most tribal groups.     

Archaic Skeletal Remains from the Central Plains: Demography and Burial Practices

Abstract

Recently a number of reports on Plains Archaic skeletal material have been published which quadruple the number of burials described and analyzed in the literature. Although the total number of burials is still relatively small, it is large enough to allow research to begin in paieodemographic aspects of the central part of thePlains and the suggestion of burial patterns for these materials. By combining all Archaic burials from the Plains a demographic profile has been developed. It is compared with other Archaic populations from the eastern United States, and with a Plains population dating after A.O. 1000. The results of the analysis show that with few exceptions burial patterns and the demographic picture of the Plains are quite stable over time, although differences are found in metric and non-metric variations in both the time and space continua. The analysis further shows that certain anomalous conditions in the skeleton appear to be much more prevalent inArchaic material than in recent material from the same area. The results finally suggest that Archaic people in the demographic and burial practice continua are quite similar to later populations, at least through Middle Mississippian populationsin the Plains.     

Intercemetery morphological variation in Arikara crania from the mobridge site (39WW1)

Multivariate analysis is used to examine intrasite variation in cranial morphology in the Mobridge Arikara skeletal collection. The site included three spatially distinct burial areas. The burial areas (features) are defined according to geographic location. Feature 1 is a small hill west of the village. Feature 2 is a large, long hill 200–300 yards south of the village. Feature 3 is a small knoll 100 yards south of Feature 1. The internal chronology of Mobridge has not been established with precision, but order has been postulated based on archeological data. Previous researchers have considered area 2 to be later than areas 1 and 3. Significant morphological heterogeneity exists between areas. Sample differences indicate that specific features were used by temporally distinct populations. The archaeologically proposed temporal ordering of the cemeteries is supported by osteological evidence.     

Mortality of pregnant females in Arikara villages: osteological evidence

High infant mortality and high mortality for late adolescent and young adult females suggest that obstetrical hazards may be one explanation for differences in male and female mortality curves. This possibility is investigated in Arikara skeletal series by determining the frequency of females who died with fetal remains in utero. Two females (0.9%) were so identified. Examination of the females and the fetal remains do not provide evidence that stress of childbearing was the cause of death in these cases.     

Using ancient mtDNA to reconstruct the population history of northeastern North America

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was extracted and analyzed from the skeletal remains of 44 individuals, representing four prehistoric populations, and compared to that from two other prehistoric and several contemporary Native American populations to investigate biological relationships and demographic history in northeastern North America. The mtDNA haplogroup frequencies of ancient human remains from the Morse (Red Ocher tradition, 2,700 BP) and Orendorf (Mississippian tradition, 800 BP) sites from the Central Illinois River Valley, and the Great Western Park (Western Basin tradition, 800 BP) and Glacial Kame (2,900 BP) populations from southwestern Ontario, change over time while maintaining a regional continuity between localities. Haplotype patterns suggest that some ancestors of present day Native Americans in northeastern North America have been in that region for at least 3,000 years but have experienced extensive gene flow throughout time, resulting, at least in part, from a demic expansion of ancestors of modern Algonquian-speaking people. However, genetic drift has also been a significant force, and together with a major population crash after European contact, has altered haplogroup frequencies and caused the loss of many haplotypes.     

Extending epidemiologic transition theory: A new stage

Abstract

The epidemiologic transition theory focuses on the changing patterns of morbidity and mortality and postulates that mortality by cause will evolve from a predominance of acute and infectious diseases to a predominance of chronic and degenerative diseases. The epidemiologic transition theory comprises three stages: the age of pestilence and famine (lasting until 1875), receding pandemics (from 1875 to 1930), and degenerative and man‐made diseases (from 1930 to the present). Recent information suggests that developed societies have entered a new stage in the transition. This fourth stage, which we term the hybristic stage, is increasingly influenced by individual behaviors and life‐styles. In this paper, we examine the epidemiologic transition theory, substantiate the need for a new stage, and discuss current cause‐specific trends in mortality and the social and demographic implications of such trends.     

Genetic relationships among Native American maize accessions of the Great Plains assessed by RAPDs

Genetic variation among 15 accessions of Native American maize from the Great Plains was investigated using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). RAPDs revealed very high levels of polymorphism among accessions. Banding patterns ranged in percentage polymorphism from 46.7% to 86.2% with an overall mean of 70.7% for the primers analyzed. The construction of genetic relationships using cluster analysis and principal coordinates analysis revealed that RAPDs are successful in confirming hypothesized relationships and in identifying misclassified specimens. Furthermore, the phenogram fails to reveal a strong correspondence between genetic relationships and the geographical position of Native Americans prior to contact. This provides support for the hypothesis that multiple introductions of maize into the Great Plains via trade may have resulted in the great morphological variation found among accessions in the region. Based on these data, it is unlikely that a separate Great Plains race of maize can be distinguished. In general, we conclude that RAPDs are potentially very useful in organizing seed collections and understanding intraspecific genetic differentiation. Received: 10 March 1999 / Accepted: 25 March 1999     

The Avifauna from Prehistoric Arikara Sites in South Dakota

Abstract

During an approximate 15-year period from about 1950 to 1965, numerous anthropologists representing at least a dozen institutions were periodically involved in archaeological salvage of Plains sites in the Middle Missouri Valley. In many instances the cultural aspects of subsistence and the utilization of native fauna in general were not of primary interest. However, some animal bone was salvaged and this discussion involves the study of the avian remains from 51 prehistoric Arikara sites along the Missouri River in South Dakota. Approximately 3,100 bird elements, representing 22 families and about 68 species, were identified. Although mammals, especially the bison, elk, deer, and pronghorn, provided the greatest quantity of meat in the diet of these people, birds were also of special significance as supplemental food (e.g. waterfowl, grouse) and because of the part they played in the cultural and ceremonial activities of the Plains Indian. The predominance of remains of such groups as eagles, hawks, harriers, owls, and ravens in these sites is indicative of their special cultural significance; in some instances, such as eagle trapping by the Hidatsa and Mandan, they can be correlated with ethnohistoric accounts dealing with the utilization of birds.     

Treponematosis in regional and chronological perspective from central Gulf Coast Florida

Examination of five central Gulf Coast Florida archaeological skeletal series (n = 547) from the late prehistoric and early historic periods reveals the presence of pathological lesions characteristic of treponemal infection. These skeletal remains of native American populations represent a crucial time regarding hypotheses about the exchange of syphilis between the Old and New World or the mutation of one treponemal infection into another. Comparison of the lesions with those observed in modern studies of treponemal infection does not support an interpretation of veneral syphilis. The data from this study and from other archaeological skeletal series indicate the presence of a treponemal disease prior to European contact. The skeletal elements from Florida do not suggest that the disease changed dramatically following contact with Europeans. It is possible that cases of nonspecific postcranial pathology can be explained by the presence of this disease in the Florida populations. This study indicates that a treponemal disease was endemic throughout the region by at least A. D. 1000. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Birthweight‐specific infant mortality risks for native Americans and whites,United States, 1960 and 1984

Abstract

We used NCHS natality and linked‐birth/death certificate tapes to compare birthweight‐specific neonatal and postneonatal mortality risks for Native Americans and whites in 1960 and in 1984. The birthweight distributions for the two groups were similar both years. Native American neonatal mortality risk dropped from 20.2 in 1960 to 5.2 in 1984, and the relative risk for Native Americans with respect to whites fell from 1.31 in 1960 to a nonsignificant difference in 1984. Postneonatal mortality risks for Native Americans fell from 27.5 in 1960 to 6.2 in 1984, with a drop in the relative risk from 5.2 to 2.1. Although the relative improvements for Native Americans were highest in postneonatal survival, Native Americans still had over twice the level of white postneonatal mortality. Birthweight was positively associated with survival for both groups, but the odds of Native American neonatal death were affected less by low and very low birthweights. For both groups, improvements in neonatal mortality were highest at the lower birthweights, while the gains in postneonatal survival benefitted normal and high birthweight infants most.