Should Anthropological Archaeology Still be Nurtured?

2007 – University of Cincinnati

Archaeology has been considered a mere subfield of anthropology in the United States for too long.  I argue that the subordinate relationship of archaeology as a sub-field of anthropology is not beneficial to archaeology.  Archaeology must move out of the grasp of sociocultural anthropology in order to fully develop.  In this essay I intend to (1) define anthropological archaeology in the United States, (2) discuss the role of anthropological theory in archaeology, (3) suggest how anthropological archaeology should be replaced, and (4) discuss how moving archaeology out from under anthropology would affect academic programs.

Virtual Reconstruction of the Sister’s Shop, Union Village, OH.

2007 – University of Cincinnati

AutoCAD floorplans, and website research

Abstract: In January of 1805 Shaker missionaries from New York came to Warren County, Ohio in an area called Turtle Creek.  The missionaries stayed at the home of Malcolm Worley near Richard McNemar’s Presbyterian Church and after only a few days, the Presbyterians were converted to Shakerism.  The land of the church and local parishioners was given to what would become the first communal Shaker community in the West.  McNemar wrote some of the earliest works defending Shakerism; The Kentucky Revival in1807 and a poem entitled A Concise Answer to the General Inquiry Who or What are the Shakers in 1808. By 1823 Union Village had 4500 acres and a population of 600, the largest of any Shaker community in the United States.  The community was broken up into ‘families’ with separate spaces for men, women and children.  Union Village consisted of more than 100 buildings; family houses, farm buildings, meeting houses and mills.
The Civil War brought a period of time in the United States of less religious fervor and the Shaker movement was in rapid decline.  By 1890 the population of Union Village was down to 44 people.  Union Village was closed in 1910 when the 24 inhabitants agreed it was necessary and the land was subsequently sold to the United Brethren Church, who allowed a few Shakers to continue living at Center Family for another 10 years.  The last Shakers of Union Village left in 1920.

The Origins of Etruscans

2007 – University of Cincinnati

There have long been debates as to the origins of the Etruscan culture. I utilize both archaeological artifact analysis and biological anthropology to determine this population’s origins.

The Upper Basin Archaeological Research Project: The Influence of Water.

2006 – University of Cincinnati, Department of Geography

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis and written report.

Abstract:  My research project analyzed the flow direction and accumulation pattern of the Upper Basin of the Grand Canyon in relation to archaeological sites that have been discovered.  Many archaeological sites in other areas of the country are clustered around drainages and sources of water, so that is what many researchers expected to find in the Upper Basin.
In addition, the popular view is that environmental variability is a major factor in determining the locations of human settlements and the nature of the annual food supply (Sullivan III et al., 2002a, p. 54).  The desert climate and spring drought make this a very harsh environment for prehistoric populations.  The hypothesis proposed is that these archaeological sites of the Upper Basin are arranged in a different pattern in relation to water sources than typical sites in other areas.  The primary UBARP researcher, Dr. Sullivan III, hypothesized that these people actually built their sites away from the drainages and severe flow accumulation areas because of the danger of debris carried by the water (personal communication).  The purpose of my project was to look at this question, and determine if this was a reasonable assumption.

Grave Offering Assessment at a Modern Albanian Cemetery

2006 – University of Cincinnati

Mortuary research project, Apollonia, Albania, 2006.

Abstract: Do grave goods accurately reflect the wealth and status of the deceased individual? Can there be situations in which grave goods and monument structure show discrepancies? This study looks at cost and energy expenditures of gravestone monuments and associated grave artifacts of the deceased in a local Apollonian cemetery.

Alcohol Consumption Among University Students: General Patterns.

2006 – University of Cincinnati

Abstract: To analyze the amount of alcohol consumed by members of this class, I looked at the data gathered that reported alcoholic beverages.  Since the first half of the data was done by recall to an interviewer during the week, most of the pertinent data was from the self-recorded food journals the students kept during the weekend.  Any beverages that contained alcohol were used; beer, cocktails, and wine, and trends were found regarding age of student and place of alcohol consumption, but were not present regarding the sex of the student.  Males and females alike were consuming alcohol roughly equally.  Overindulgence was considered to be more than three drinks at one sitting.  A “sitting” is a set period of time in which the student remains in one place.  The data sheets were divided into 3 time periods of the day; morning, afternoon and evening, and one sitting corresponds to one time period.  The data is divided among two age categories where younger students” are 18-24 years of age and the “older students” are above the age of 24.

Trends

1.      Most alcohol consumption occurred on weekends

2.      Most alcohol with meals was consumed by married and older students

3.      Most overindulgence was among the 18-24 year olds on the weekend

4.      Of the overindulgent students on the weekends, the older students did so at bars and the younger students did so at parties

5.      Women were more likely to consume “fruity drinks”

Neandertal Mandibular Morphological Specializations

2005 – University of Cincinnati

Abstract: There is a debate among paleoanthropologists as to whether Neandertals had a specific set of morphological characteristics that set them apart from other Homo species. There have been many characteristics cited as being unique to Neandertals especially of the pelvis, cranium and of limb proportions.  In order to narrow the scope, I have looked only at the research regarding mandibular specializations because in Rak’s own words, “the diabolic mandible bears fewer taxonomic characters- is less diagnostic- than the cranium.” (1998, p. 353) yet he and many other authors repeatedly state mandibular evidence to support their ideas on Neandertal morphological specializations.  Among these mandibular features commonly cited are a posterior mental foramen position, a mastoid tubercle, the horizontal oval mandibular foramen, medial ptergyoid tubercle, the absence of a chin, larger coronoid process, shallow mandibular notch, and position of the condylar process, among others.  Some authors make the claim that these mandibular traits are autapomorphies that add to the suite of traits unique to Neandertals.

The Diet of Andean Coastal Populations Established Through Stable Isotopic Analysis

2004 – Central Michigan University

This paper focuses mainly on the skeletal remains that have been analyzed for chemical composition of Andean coastal people before the extensive use of subsistence agriculture.  There are few Andean sites that have much research on chemical composition of bones because of its unreliability.  I will discuss the many factors that can distort readings of elements in bones and other ways to analyze skeletons for nutrition.  I will discuss findings from Paloma, Peru as well as some of the different Andean cultures analyzed by Marvin Allison.  I will then summarize some of the conclusions that relate to paleonutrition and health of these coastal people, mostly in relation to the heavy consumption of marine resources by preceramic peoples.

The main focus for this dietary and nutritional research is to validate the significance of marine resources within coastal people.  I have sampled preceramic as well as later coastal Andean groups to show that marine resources were always an important subsistence strategy.  While this fact is not debated, the shell midden and fishing paraphernalia found are evidence enough, I believe it is important to reiterate exactly how important it was to coastal people, possibly validating Moseley’s Maritime Hypothesis.

Evolutionary Models of Gender Differences and Sexual Jealousy

2004 – Central Michigan University, Department of Philosophy

It is no surprise to hear that men and women want different things out of a relationship.  Sometimes their differences lead to conflict, especially in cases of male sexual jealousy.  I am going to explore these ideas from an evolutionary standpoint using the controversial ideas of evolutionary psychology to explain the underlying cognitive processes.  I will also give some background information on primate behaviors, and how that relates to humanity.

The Importance of Marine Resources on Perceramic Peruvian People of the Andean Coast

2004 – Central Michigan University, Department of Earth Science

The importance of marine resources in coastal Peru is not debatable, it is very much a fact that these are of the most productive fishing grounds in the world.  The Humboldt Current brings in near-shore upwelling currents where plankton thrives which in turn is the primary food source of other marine biomass and supports a vast food chain of marine resources.  This area currently harvests one-fifth of the world’s entire commercial catch of marine life, ranging from seaweed and mollusks, through small and large fish, to sea birds and mammals (Moseley, 2001, p. 48).  In addition to edible resources, Peru is the world’s largest producer of guano.  Guano was a very important fertilizer for agriculture on the coast and later as a source of income, as guano is 30% more powerful than other manure fertilizers.  So it is also no surprise that many of the early peoples of South America settled in the Andean coastal valleys and began exploiting these marine resources at least 11,000 years ago.

Which Ethnographies are Successful in Portraying Central American People?

2003 – University of Edinburgh,Department of Social Anthropology

Abstract: Ethnographies are written to describe cultures of the world to an audience usually consisting of Westerners.  These ethnographers tend to write accounts of ‘other’ cultures to inform people of those foreign cultures, but this has to be done carefully.  All too often ethnographies can be written badly, portraying the people being studied incorrectly.  It is very difficult for Westerners to study foreign cultures without any of their own biases and different points of view.  This paper focuses on analyzing ethnographies of Central America in order to decide if they were successful accounts.  Some writings are more successful than others in portraying people correctly and sometimes this cannot even be done by local ethnographers.  Many times Westerners cannot accurately assess the culture, but even local ethnographers are not always successful.

The Importance of Feminism in Anthropological Theory

2003 – University of Edinburgh, Department of Social Anthropology

Feminism has had a  profound effect on anthropology as a discipline and on anthropological theory. This effect is evident in the changes made obvious since the advent of feminist work.  Feminism began to take shape in the 1970s, where it began its long and arduous history.  Many people cringe at the sound of the word feminism because it brings to mind images of women burning bras and “femi-Nazis” loudly protesting for equality.  In the beginning, women knew they had to “expose sexism in public and private life, to alter the male-biased presumptions of scholarly and popular culture” (di Leonardo 1991: 2).  This was quite a task to take on and so feminists are often viewed as having gone a bit too far.

The Comparative Approach in Southern African Religions

2003 – University of Edinburgh, Department of Social Anthropology

This paper focuses on the religious beliefs of the many different peoples of Khoisan southern Africa.  The regional comparative approach is useful for analyzing the beliefs of these different groups of people in relation to each other.  This approach not only outlines similarities and differences, but is meant to show cross-cultural variation in relational terms (Barnard 1992: 4).  This approach will also show religious similarities in terms of historical relationships and divergences.  Beliefs and ideas that belong to certain groups can show they were once in close contact, or close enough to have shared those ideas and beliefs at some point in history.  Similar beliefs and customs can show how closely related these groups are, along with similar linguistic patterns.  Many Khoisan groups have similar words for god or the spirits of the dead, and this also illustrates the importance of the regional comparison approach.

Whether Australopithecus afarensis was Fully Bipedal or Partially Arboreal

2002 – Central Michigan University

“Lucy” is the name of the most famous paleoanthropological remains found to date.  She represents Australopithecus afarensis, an early human ancestor who lived about 3.5 million years ago.  There are two main arguments about her locomotion.  The first states that A. afarensis was fully bipedal, that the species came out of the trees indefinately and lived a terrestrial life.  Certain anatomical adaptations of Lucy’s skeleton, such as her pelvis, skull, foot and knee, convince these scientists of her bipedalism.  The second argument insists that Lucy and other A. afarensis were too primitive to have become fully bipedal and state that she lived partially in the trees and partially on the ground.  The scientists attesting this argument have evidence of fingers, arms and foot structures that are somewhat ape-like in morphology.

The Unfolding of Mankind: A Look at Human Evolution

2002 – Central Michigan University

Abstract: A brief summary of the evolution of humans, beginning with our earliest known ancestors, Australopithecus afarensis. This work also discusses the place of the Neanderthals in our phylogeny and possible areas for future human evolution.

Filipinos: In Their Homeland and in the U.S.

2002 – University of Cincinnati

Stephen Molnar states that culture is “the learned behavioral pattern that Homo sapiens use to manipulate the environment” (p. 372).  He also defines race as a geographically and culturally determined collection of individuals who share in a common gene pool and are similar in many characteristics (also referred to as a subspecies) (p. 375).  The obvious problem with this last definition is that it says races of people are subspecies of Homo sapiens.  This assumes that there is a defined set of characteristics that could classify people into separate subspecies.  However, when the terms race and culture are used in this paper, these are the definitions that will be inferred.  This papers’ purpose is to highlight a culture of the world because cultures exist, not races. Filipinos comprise the second largest Asian-American population (4%) in the United States (World Atlas, 1998) and this work explores their ethnicity in the Philippines and how it changes when the immigrate to the U.S.