ARKY 327 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Blunt Trauma, Enamel Hypoplasia, Dental Floss
19 Jun 2018
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02/06/2018
Otzi the Iceman- hikers in the Alps came across a body in the ice 40 year old male, body was
9000 years old. Found with stone tools, hides. Body was mummified through freezing.
Arrow wound found in shoulder, broken ribs.
Found with perishable artifacts- bone, wood, bags, cloth, skins.
There was tattooing found on the body, found on places on the body where modern
acupuncture is done, may have had medicinal or supernatural meaning behind the tattoos.
Evidence that he was consuming domesticated plants. Diet supplemented with hunting.
European Farmers in the neolithic period(6000-4000BC)- small settlements, sedentary but
probably supplementing their farming with hunting and gathering. Indications suggesting that the
population moved from the near east, based on dental eruption and bones(strontium
composition)
Valhingen, Germany- burials outside of the city differed from skeletal composition of burials
inside the city, suggests outside intruders were killed.
May have practiced exogamy- women came from outside villages to marry men, this also may
have explained burial pattern.
Enamel hypoplasia- dental evidence of dietary stress, shows different growth rates in enamel.
80% of children at the site had evidence of anemia.
Considerable mechanical stress shown through osteoarthritis in shoulders, hips.
Dental wear indicated chewing sinew to soften it for use, especially among women.
Women will take sinew and string and in order to strain, wet, and clean it, they will use it like
dental floss- produces a hole in the tooth in older females. Common dental deformity in some
groups.
Massacre in Talheim, Germany- 34 individuals including males, females, and children. Many
cases of blunt force trauma to the head. Children were of local origin, women were not local,
and the others were from close by suggesting a patrilocal marriage pattern (used isotopes to
determine this) Can use isotopes to compare bone and tooth composition/growth to see if
someone moved areas throughout their lifetime.
Bog Bodies- Late neolithic Bronze-Iron age- Acidic wetlands where organic deposits occur
faster than decay with outstanding preservation in waterlogged, oxygen deprived environments,
common in northern europe and in ireland.
Peat is a mass of compressed organic deposits-mined as a source of fuel and building material.
During peat mining, bog bodies(and other arky deposits) are found.
Windeby girl is excellent example of a bog body. Blindfolded. Some decay of the flesh. Placed
in a ceremonial context with other objects around her.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Otzi the iceman- hikers in the alps came across a body in the ice 40 year old male, body was. Found with perishable artifacts- bone, wood, bags, cloth, skins. There was tattooing found on the body, found on places on the body where modern acupuncture is done, may have had medicinal or supernatural meaning behind the tattoos. European farmers in the neolithic period(6000-4000bc)- small settlements, sedentary but probably supplementing their farming with hunting and gathering. Indications suggesting that the population moved from the near east, based on dental eruption and bones(strontium composition) Valhingen, germany- burials outside of the city differed from skeletal composition of burials inside the city, suggests outside intruders were killed. May have practiced exogamy- women came from outside villages to marry men, this also may have explained burial pattern. Enamel hypoplasia- dental evidence of dietary stress, shows different growth rates in enamel. 80% of children at the site had evidence of anemia.
