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Limited Circumstances: Creating a Better Understanding of Prehistoric Peoples Through the Reanalysis of Collections of Commingled Human Remains

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Theoretical Approaches to Analysis and Interpretation of Commingled Human Remains

Part of the book series: Bioarchaeology and Social Theory ((BST))

Abstract

Recent reanalysis of the curated Lewis Jones Cave Ossuary (1Sc42) assemblage of commingled human remains provides insight into the burial behavior and lived experiences of prehistoric peoples living in northern and central Alabama during the Middle Woodland period (A.D. 1–500). Salvage excavated from a natural cave site in St. Clair County, Alabama, the assemblage of human remains exemplifies Copena mortuary practices through the inclusion of copper and galena burial goods. Reanalysis of the assemblage involved the recording of age, sex, bone abnormalities, pathological indicators, and taphonomic features of nearly 1300 skeletal elements. Observation of the characteristics of each bone element, specifically the biological features, indicated a diverse population interred within the cave ossuary including individuals of both sexes, all ages, and with varying pathological conditions. Conducting a reanalysis of curated assemblages of commingled human remains, such as the Lewis Jones Cave Ossuary assemblage, provides another way of learning about the lived experiences of prehistoric communities.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Eugene Futato at the Office of Archaeological Research, the University of Alabama Cartography Research Laboratory, and the Alabama Museum of Natural History. Also, we would like to thank our families, Sarah Morrow, and Dr. Gretchen Dabbs for their comments during the editing process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, Southern Illinois Univerisity, Faner, Mail Code 4502, 62901, Carbondale, IL, USA

    Maria Panakhyo

  2. Department of Anthropology, The University of Alabama, 35487, Box 870210, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

    Keith Jacobi

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  1. Maria Panakhyo
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Correspondence to Maria Panakhyo .

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  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

    Anna J. Osterholtz

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Panakhyo, M., Jacobi, K. (2016). Limited Circumstances: Creating a Better Understanding of Prehistoric Peoples Through the Reanalysis of Collections of Commingled Human Remains. In: Osterholtz, A. (eds) Theoretical Approaches to Analysis and Interpretation of Commingled Human Remains. Bioarchaeology and Social Theory. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22554-8_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22554-8_5

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