Tag: Greg Nelson

Determining Ancestral Affiliation of Unprovenienced Human Remains from the Island of Mustique, Grenadine Islands, Caribbean

Presenter: Taylor Dodrill

Mentors: Scott Fitzpatrick and Greg Nelson, Anthropology

Poster: 19

Majors: Biology and Anthropology

The dearth of laws protecting cultural heritage in many Caribbean small island nations, or the lack of resources to enforce such laws, has led to destruction of numerous sites due to the removal of remains that would otherwise provide important archaeological information to help establish cultural context and affinity. We present an analysis of unprovenienced human remains that were in storage on the private island of Mustique in the Grenadines, southern Caribbean, but that were reportedly taken by a local resident from the smaller nearby island of Petite Mustique for personal use and display. With permission from the Mustique Company, archaeologists brought the remains to the University of Oregon’s Island & Coastal Archaeology Laboratory for analysis. The goal was to determine the number of individuals present, their probable age, sex, pathologies, and possible ancestry, in order to assist in repatriation. Preliminary results suggest that the collection consists of 341 bones or bone fragments, representing four adult individuals. Initial age and sex estimates for the three more complete individuals indicate that two are middle-aged males and one an older female. Robust muscle insertions of one adult male may indicate strenuous activity
in life. Intermingling of cattle bone with the remains, dental wear patterns, and other skeletal indicators suggest that these individuals probably date to the historic period. Further analysis that is now underway, including 3D geometric morphometrics of the skulls, will attempt to identify ancestry in more detail so the remains can be properly repatriated.

Determining Ancestry of Unprovenienced Human Remains from the Grenadines, Southern Caribbean: Dental Morphology and Craniometric Analyses

Presenter: Taylor Dodrill

Co-Presenters: Greg Nelson, Jessica Stone, Scott Fitzpatrick

Faculty Mentor: Greg Nelson, Scott Fitzpatrick

Presentation Type: Poster 57

Primary Research Area: Science

Major: Anthropology, Biology

Funding Source: UROP Mini-Grant, UROP, $1000

The bioarchaeological record of the southern Caribbean reflects a diverse population history due to the replacement of founding indigenous groups by European and African populations. This is a result of colonial incursion and processes surrounding the Transatlantic Slave Trade that occurred over a period of centuries. This complex history can present problems for proper dispensation of archaeological material and human skeletal remains, particularly those recovered outside the strictures of controlled excavation. In this case study we examined a collection of unprovenienced skeletal material comprising four individuals of unknown ancestry. This collection derives from a private collection on the island of Mustique in the southern Grenadines that supposedly originated on the smaller nearby island of Petite Mustique. Ancestry has been estimated using a combination of craniometrics and dental morphology, the latter assessed by scoring a suite of 23 Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System (ASUDAS) traits for comparison against existing population data from Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Standard craniometric measurements were also assessed using the FORDISC database. We find that these data do not support an Amerindian ancestry for these individuals, and instead and/or African descent that date to the historic period. These and other ongoing analyses, including possible mtDNA extraction and stable isotope analyses, should help in efforts to repatriate the remains to the appropriate governing body and location.