Tag: Scott Fitzpatrick

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.

Stable Oxygen Isotope Analyses and Proxy Validation for Shellfish Foraging and Paleoenvironmental Reconstructions from Chelechol ra Orrak, Palau, Microesia

Presenter: Mila Lassuy

Co-Presenters: Taylor N. Dodrill, Nicholas P. Jew, Scott M. Fitzpatrick

Faculty Mentor: Nicholas Jew, Scott Fitzpatrick

Presentation Type: Poster 22

Primary Research Area: Science

Major: Archaeology, Public Relations

Funding Source: National Science Foundation; Sasakawa Peace Foundation; Sigma Xi

In Palau, Micronesia, marine resources such as shellfish played a vital role in subsistence for millennia. At the Chelechol ra Orrak site, nearly 100 shellfish species have been identified in archaeological assemblages, but there is a dearth of data on nearshore paleoecology or prehistoric shellfish foraging practices. To address these issues, we employed stable oxygen isotopes (δ18O) on select shellfish species, which has been successfully applied in many coastal regions to reconstruct paleoenvironments and sea-surface temperature (SST). In this study, modern shellfish samples were collected from intertidal zones near the site and ambient SST recorded. We then used X-ray diffraction on the samples to identify the skeletal biomineralogical composition, which provides the necessary information to select the proper isotope-to-SST conversion formula. Calcium carbonate samples were milled from modern shells and the δ18O results paired with ambient water temperatures using several δ18O-SST conversion equations. Using the most appropriate formula, these equations were then applied to δ18O samples from several prehistoric shells to reconstruct a high-resolution SST. Results provide useful baselines for examining a host of issues related to prehistoric subsistence strategies in Palau and how environmental changes may have influenced the availability and productivity of various molluscan taxa through time.

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.

Exploring Manufacturing Variability in Calcareous Sand Tempered Pottery on Yap, Western Caroline Islands

Presenter(s): Haden Kingrey − Anthropology, History

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthew Napolitano, Scott Fitzpatrick

Poster 10

Research Area: Archaeology

Funding: National Geographic, UO Global Studies Institute, Edna English Trust for Archaeological Research, and the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies

The oldest identified sites on Yap are identified by presence calcareous sand tempered (CST) pottery from deeply stratified deposits. With few exceptions, CST pottery, made from locally produced clay, has been recovered from Rungluw and Pemrang, two sites in southern Yap, western Micronesia (northwest tropical Pacific). Although poor preservation conditions and small sample sizes make it difficult to reconstruct vessel size, detailed analysis of sherds demonstrates at least two sub-types. Recent excavations at Pemrang have yielded the largest sample of CST pottery ever recovered and allow for inter- and intra- site comparison. Results will help us understand the poorly understood early settlement of Yap.