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Evaluating Entheseal Changes from a Commingled and Fragmentary Population: Republic Groves

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Date Issued:
2018
Abstract/Description:
The most direct way available to modern day researchers to reconstruct individual and population level behavior is to analyze markers of activity from skeletal remains (Ruff et al., 2004). An analysis of the population at the Republic Groves site (8HR4) was conducted, using the entheseal change score system, the Coimbra method, developed by Henderson et al. (2015). This study examined the implication of analyzing a commingled and fragmentary population with this methodology. Reconstructing specific behavior cannot be done with this type of approach; however, entheseal changes can be compared to specific patterns of behavior for consistency. An atlatl was found with the human remains and thus provided a suggestion of behavior for comparison. Entheses were chosen in line with a throwing motion of the atlatl and focused exclusively on the humerus, radius, and ulna. The application of the Coimbra methodology to the Republic Groves population was successful, at least in part. Overall, there was low variability of results, mostly 0, some 1, and with very few high 2 scores. The entheseal changes from Republic Groves were consistent with the throwing of an atlatl; however, this does not mean that this is the only behavior that could have generated that kind of change.
Title: Evaluating Entheseal Changes from a Commingled and Fragmentary Population: Republic Groves.
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Name(s): Dewey, Jennifer K., author
Ellis, Meredith, Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Department of Anthropology
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2018
Date Issued: 2018
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 76 p.
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: The most direct way available to modern day researchers to reconstruct individual and population level behavior is to analyze markers of activity from skeletal remains (Ruff et al., 2004). An analysis of the population at the Republic Groves site (8HR4) was conducted, using the entheseal change score system, the Coimbra method, developed by Henderson et al. (2015). This study examined the implication of analyzing a commingled and fragmentary population with this methodology. Reconstructing specific behavior cannot be done with this type of approach; however, entheseal changes can be compared to specific patterns of behavior for consistency. An atlatl was found with the human remains and thus provided a suggestion of behavior for comparison. Entheses were chosen in line with a throwing motion of the atlatl and focused exclusively on the humerus, radius, and ulna. The application of the Coimbra methodology to the Republic Groves population was successful, at least in part. Overall, there was low variability of results, mostly 0, some 1, and with very few high 2 scores. The entheseal changes from Republic Groves were consistent with the throwing of an atlatl; however, this does not mean that this is the only behavior that could have generated that kind of change.
Identifier: FA00005974 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Bioarchaeological interpretations of the human past
Enthesis
Archaeology--Florida
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005974
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Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.