2005 Summer NSF-REU Student Projects
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Alicia Cooper [University of Notre Dame] & Zach Viets [Univ. of Kansas] | |
| SUMMARY
-- When applied in a bioarchaeological context, stable strontium
isotope analysis has been successfully used to provide information
about human mobility. Having reviewed the historical and
archaeological literature, the hypothesis was formulated that
pilgrimage to Byzantine St. Stephen’s occurred. Samples were
taken from a subset of left proximal femora (n=54) and were prepared
for isotope analysis. Strontium is incorporated into bone due to its
chemical similarities to calcium. Each geographic region has a
distinct geochemical profile with a relatively unique isotopic ratio of
87Sr/86Sr. Therefore, by examining the 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratios of the
urban monastic community it is possible to gain information about
residential migration in the local population. |
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Erica Williams & Brynn Johnson [Univ. of Notre Dame] | |
| SUMMARY
-- Dental metrics were studied in order to reconstruct the
pilgrimage and migration history of Byzantine St. Stephen’s
monastery. Tooth crown measurements were analyzed in
conjunction with historical texts regarding pilgrimage to 5th-7th C
Jerusalem. The buccolingual and mesiodistal measurements were taken for
over 343 mandibular teeth from the St. Stephen’s collection.
Tests for side asymmetry and homogeneity indicated that there was no
significant difference between left and right teeth, and that the
collection is homogeneous. Comparison of the buccolingual
diameters of the anchor teeth (I2, PM1, M1) with 13 other collections
from the surrounding area, Pakistan and Italy indicated that monks bear
resemblance to two populations from the Southern Levant. These
similarities corroborate previous non-metric dental studies, suggesting
that the monks were coming from the local area. |
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Anne Guappone [Univ.
of Notre Dame] & Matt Gasperetti
[Dayton College] |
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| SUMMARY
-- The incidence of nine non-metric cranial traits was studied in
the St. Stephen’s collection. The collection consists of the commingled
remains of Byzantine monks residing in Jerusalem and dating from
approximately the 5th-7th century CE. The frequencies of these
non-metric traits were contrasted to frequencies recorded in
comparative data from other populations. Statistical analysis was
run to determine whether the St. Stephen’s community was predominately
local or whether there were pilgrims from around the globe as the
literature suggests. Specifically, the study attempted to
demonstrate the genetic affinity between the monks and other remains
from the local area. The similarities between the remains in the St.
Stephen’s collection and those of the local inhabitants suggest that
pilgrimage was not a major component of Byzantine monasticism, and that
the monks are in fact native to the Near East. |
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Jennie Crate [Randolph Macon Women's College] & Ashley Germundson [Univ. of Oklahoma] | |
| SUMMARY
-- This study analyzed 4 non-metric traits of the cervical
vertebra. By comparing trait frequencies with other populations
throughout the world, we studied pilgrimage to Byzantine
Jerusalem. Posterior and lateral atlas bridging & double
facet forms were specific to the atlas (C1), while transverse foramen
bipartite occured in C3 – C7. There were significant differences
between St. Stephen's and the other populations; therefore, we could
not draw definite conclusions about the influx of specific groups from
other regions. |
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