Browsing by Author "Dr. Scott Fitzpatrick, Committee Chair"

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    Biological and cultural stress in a South Appalachian Mississippian settlement: Town Creek Indian Mound, Mt. Gilead, NC
    (2010-05-03) Cunningham, Sarah L.; Dr. Scott Fitzpatrick, Committee Chair; Dr. Ann H. Ross, Committee Member; Dr. D. Troy Case, Committee Member
    Town Creek Indian Mound was an important ceremonial center of the Pee Dee culture for approximately 200 years (A.D. 1150 - 1400) before it was abandoned. Biological indicators, such as the prevalence of diseases like cribra orbitalia, and decreases in stature attainment from previous generations will be presented. Often site abandonment will also be preceded by increases in cultural stress, such as trauma, as the population reacts to worsening conditions. These three indicators are used to determine if the Pee Dee population living at Town Creek was, in fact, experiencing biological or cultural stress at the end of their habitation of the site. Comparisons were made between an early habitation phase (Teal/Early Town Creek period) and a late phase (Late Town Creek/Leak period). MANOVA statistical analysis found that, of the long bone length measurements, only the female humerus was found to be variable between time phases, with the bone becoming longer in the late phase. Neither cribra nor trauma increased significantly in the late phase. Drought reconstructions have shown that, while the area has experienced extended periods of mild drought and even one intense drought, these periods corresponded with increased site activity, including the construction of monumental architecture. All skeletal indicators and contextual climate reconstructions point to a stable environment and associated population. Issues with nutrition or violence within the culture did not precede the Pee Dee's abandonment of Town Creek, so the cause must lie with other unknown factors.
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    Dental Pathology at Promtin Tai: an Iron Age Cemetery from Central Thailand
    (2010-04-30) Kirkland, Scott; Dr. Scott Burnett , Committee Member; Dr. D. Troy Case, Committee Member; Dr. Ann Ross, Committee Member; Dr. Scott Fitzpatrick, Committee Chair
    The aim of this paper is to further understand the dental health of Thailand and Southeast Asia. An analysis of dental pathology frequencies were conducted using recently excavated remains from the Iron Age site of Promtin Tai in Thailand. Carious lesions, advanced attrition, antemortem tooth loss, and abscessing were scored and the frequencies were then compared to other sites within Thailand. Preliminary work suggests that the overall pathology rate at the Promtin Tai site is lower than other known sites within Thailand. The total caries rate of 0.5 percent at Promtin Tai represents a statistically significant difference in total caries rates between the coastal, central, and Khorat Plateau regions of Thailand. Because this is the first site in the central region to be analyzed for dental pathology, comparisons can only be made to sites of a similar time period from the Khorat Plateau (Eastern Thailand) and coastal Thailand. This new analysis may give insight about how the transition to rice agriculture affects the dentition. It also furthers the knowledge of dental health within Iron Age Thailand and Southeast Asia.