Evolution And History

Sorting Out the Evidence 113

technology to provide a sufficient amount of material to

perform these analyses. However, unless DNA is preserved

in a stable material such as amber, it will decay over time.

Therefore, analyses of DNA extracted from specimens

older than about 50,000 years become increasingly unreli-

able due to the decay of DNA.

As defined in Chapter 1, bioarchaeology, which seeks

to understand past cultures through analysis of skel-

etal remains, is a growing area within anthropology. It

combines the biological anthropologists’ expertise in

skeletal biology with the archaeological reconstruction

of human cultures. Examination of human skeletal ma-

terial provides important insights into ancient peoples’

diets, gender roles, social status, and patterns of activity.

For example, analysis of human skeletons shows that elite

members of society had access to more nutritious foods,

allowing them to reach their full growth potential.^5

Gender roles in a given society can be assessed through

skeletons as well. In fully preserved adult skeletons, the sex

of the deceased individual can be determined with a high de-

gree of accuracy, allowing for comparisons of male and female

life expectancy, mortality, and health status (Figure 5.5).

These analyses can help establish the social roles of men

and women in past societies.

Forensics, bioarchaeology’s cousin discipline, also ex-

amines skeletal remains to determine characteristics of

a deceased or injured individual. As with archaeological

research, this information is integrated with material re-

mains. New biomedical technology also plays a role in the

investigation of remains from both the past and the pres-

ent. For example, CT scans have added new information

Figure 5.5 The complete male and female skeletons differ on

average in some consistent ways that allow skeletal biologists

to identify the sex of the deceased individual. In addition to

noting some of these features labeled above, learning the basic

skeleton will be useful in the chapters ahead as we trace the

history of human evolution.

Skulls from peoples of the Tiwanaku

empire, who tightly bound the heads of

their children. The shape of the skull

distinguished people from various parts

of the empire that flourished in the

Andes mountains of South America

between AD 550 and 950.

Skull (cranium)

Mandible

Scapula

Ribs

Vertebrae

Carpals

Metacarpals

Phalanges

Femur

Patella

Ta r s a l s

Metatarsals

Phalanges

Fibula

Tibia

Pelvis

Sacrum

Radius

Ulna

Sternum

Clavicle

Maxilla

Humerus

S e t d o A b

© Kenneth Garrett/National Geographic Image Collection

(^5) Haviland, W. (1967). Stature at Tikal, Guatemala: Implications for ancient
Maya, demography, and social organization. American Antiquity 32, 316–325.