Jennifer L Thompson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Publications by Jennifer L Thompson

This chapter presents the hypothesis that verbal language originated in prehistoric ceremonials. ... more This chapter presents the hypothesis that verbal language originated in prehistoric ceremonials. The hypothesis is an application of cultural linguistics, a theory which synthesizes linguistic anthropology and cognitive linguistics (Palmer 1996; Sharifian 2011 and this volume). Duranti (2003, p. 342) has noted that the evolution of language is one of two topics, the other being the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, that are ‘a must’ in introductory books on language and culture. Hence a cultural linguistic hypothesis for the emergence of verbal language should come as no surprise. The hypothesis is relatively elaborate compared to most other such proposals as befits the complexity and uniqueness of human speech by comparison to the verbal communications of non-human primates. As we present our origin story, we write in the declarative mood and simple past tense, as though it were a known fact that verbal language emerged as we theorize it did. Just as historians have their ‘historical present’, we have our ‘hypothetical past’. The device will avoid a great many instances of ‘would have’, ‘could have’, ‘might have’, and similar hedges. The reader should remain aware that our story is a hypothesis, but one that takes into account current archaeology and linguistic science.
Beginning with cognitive considerations, we propose that the first words and phrases to emerge in human language evoked mental imagery depicting the routines of daily life and the life crises of proto speakers living in Middle Pleistocene times between 600K ya and 130K ya. The proto speakers belonged to a species of transitional humans known to science as Homo heidelbergensis.

In bioarchaeological and forensic research, the identification and differentiation of foetal, neo... more In bioarchaeological and forensic research, the identification and differentiation of foetal, neonatal, infant, and children remains is plagued with difficulties. These difficulties arise from a series of factors including poor preservation, excavation damage or loss, and differential mortuary treatment that leads to the low representation of foetal, neonatal, infant, and children's remains in archaeological sites. Although palaeodemography aspires to accurately reconstruct the age structure of skeletal populations the degree of accuracy of age at death estimation techniques continues to be problematic due to the lack of population-specific standards. To remedy this, we assess the reliability of the basiocciput aging method using a South American sample. Immature individuals (n=12) from the Punta Teatinos archaeological site (Chile) were aged based on dental development (dental age), linear growth of the basiocciput, and the maximum diaphyseal length (MDL) of the femur and humerus. Age at death estimates obtained using the three methods were classified as foetal (<40 foetal weeks), infant (birth-0 year), child I (1-5 years), and child II (6-12 years). Results indicate that the methods are largely concordant (80.0% matches). Basiocciput age at death estimations were supported by dental development estimates in 77.8% of the cases and by long bone age in 90.0% of the comparisons. Partial matches and mismatches between the methods are mostly the result of higher age-estimations rendered by dental development estimates. Statistical comparisons between the methods did not reveal significant differences. Overall, these results show that the basiocciput age at death estimations are generally in agreement with most estimates based on dental development and MDL. The basiocciput method can, therefore, be applied to South American prehistoric populations.

Historical Archaeology

This article identifies activity-related changes to, traumatic injuries on, and pathological cond... more This article identifies activity-related changes to, traumatic injuries on, and pathological conditions of the human remains of the Chinese immigrants from Carlin, Nevada, who were interred between 1885 and 1923. Chinese males came to the Americas to work as railroad laborers and miners, and when the railroad was completed many went home, but some found work in small towns. In Carlin, Chinese immigrants were employed as merchants, shopkeepers, cooks, laundry workers, and a variety of other occupations. Within this immigrant group, there were differences in the degree of physical labor each individual experienced. According to historical records, this was a time of increasing anti-Chinese sentiments, and there are accounts of intergroup conflict with the politically dominant settlers. However, little is known about the biological correlates of this sociopolitical inequality. An analysis of these correlates is assessed as a means for understanding patterns of social, economic, and political inequality between these immigrants and the local population. The findings demonstrate that socioeconomic and political inequality experienced by the Carlin individuals resulted in high rates of activity-induced changes, trauma, and pathological conditions. Furthermore, examination of the relationship between cranial trauma and other types of skeletal injuries supports research that has shown trauma to the head can predispose people to other types of trauma (accidental or deliberate). The results support the historical accounts of the time that indicate hard physical labor, accidental or deliberate trauma, and interpersonal conflict were part of the life history of this group of Chinese immigrants.

The evolution of modern human life history has involved substantial changes in the overall length... more The evolution of modern human life history has involved substantial changes in the overall length of the subadult period, the introduction of a novel early childhood stage, and many changes in the initiation, termination, and character of the other stages. The fossil record is explored for evidence of this evolutionary process, with a special emphasis on middle childhood, which many argue is equivalent to the juvenile stage of African apes. Although the “juvenile” and “middle childhood” stages appear to be the same from a broad comparative perspective, in that they begin with the eruption of the first molar and the achievement of the majority of adult brain size and end with sexual maturity, the detailed differences in the expression of these two stages, and how they relate to the preceding and following stages, suggest that a distinction should be maintained between them to avoid blurring subtle, but important, differences.

In this study, Chinese immigrant population history and structure was assessed using craniometric... more In this study, Chinese immigrant population history and structure was assessed using craniometric diversity in two historic cemeteries located in North America. Analyses addressed questions of population history, migration, and geographic origin for Chinese immigrants to the United States in the late 1800s. Craniometric diversity was assessed by the use of the R-matrix method on 19 metric traits in 62 male Chinese immigrant individuals. Using a population genetic model (Relethford–Blangero), our results indicate a low level of genetic diversity for these Chinese immigrants. Principal coordinate plots and neighbor-joining trees based on the morphological distances transformed from the R-matrix showed that the Chinese immigrant sample clusters closest to known East Asian populations. Further, we substantiate the biological origin for the Chinese immigrants as coming from South China. A historical reading suggests that the majority of Chinese emigrating to the United States departed and were born in southern China. Biological distances for the Chinese immigrants are more similar to samples from Guangdong Province and surrounding areas than to regions in North China. Identification bricks (grave markers) recovered during excavation in Nevada revealed two individuals born in Tai’shan, a city located along the Pearl River Delta and west of Hong Kong, a port used by Westerners during the late 19th century and used as a point of departure for many emigrating from mainland China. This evidence supports the historical and archaeological record and confirms the use of craniofacial variability to answer questions of population history and structure. This study is the first to assess Chinese immigrant population history using biological data.

This study examines the association between Harris lines and enamel hypoplasia. This association ... more This study examines the association between Harris lines and enamel hypoplasia. This association is analyzed in terms of: 1) presence/absence of these markers in each individual, and 2) age of the individuals at the time of Harris lines and enamel hypoplasias formation. Data from two archaeological groups (Azapa-71 and Azapa-140) from northern Chile were analyzed. The results indicate Harris lines and enamel hypoplasias are not associated in terms of presence/absence. Moreover, the estimated age of the individuals at the time of Harris lines and enamel hypoplasia formation shows that these two markers have a very different distribution. While enamel hypoplasias clustered between ages 3 and 5, Harris lines were more commonly formed during the first year of life, as well as during adolescence, which are the periods of most accelerated growth. We propose that Harris lines are a result of a normal, rather than abnormal, saltatory growth process.

Historical Archaeology

American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Feb 22, 2011

The La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos site (AD 600-1430) is located just north of Durango, Mexico... more The La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos site (AD 600-1430) is located just north of Durango, Mexico. A reanalysis of the human remains from this site, excavated in the 1950s by Sheilagh and Richard Brooks, has yielded important new information. This cave site contains at least 18 burials of infants and children (n=17, most being <3-4 years of age) and at least two adult female burials all associated with the Gabriel San Loma culture. Using long bone lengths and radiographic analysis of dental development, age approximations for the subadults were refined. All of the children exhibit active cases of nonspecific periosteal reactions on the cranium. Sixty percent of the 17 children also exhibit periosteal reactions on the long bones. In addition, porotic hyperostosis (n=7) and cribra orbitalia (n=5) is also present. . A number of cases of possible juvenile scurvy (n=4) were identified.

Taphonomic indicators of the mortuary context revealed evidence of burning and intentional sequenced internment suggestive of ritualized burial treatment. Results from the analysis of coprolites and quids found in the cave (Reinhard, et al. 1988) provide additional information on diet and health. Vegetative data noting the presence of botanicals used for drug production at the site ( Foster 1984), suggests that an unusual occurrence such as ritual sacrifice likely precipitated the deaths of up to 17 infants and children as well as two adult females. Large quantities of corn and beans may have been part of a ritual offering.

Data are reported for the mummified and/or skeletonized remains of 11 infants from Zape, Mexico. Given the unique context of these interments (burial complete with shrouds, pillows, grave goods and clay architecture), it is likely that these infants were buried in a ritual manner and therefore the sample of infants may not reflect typical patterns of infant health. Although the sample size is small, 5 (45%) of the infants show lesions suggestive of scurvy. The patterning of periosteal lesions is described in detail, with an emphasis on examples from two of the infants who exhibit widespread lesions, both consistent with severe manifestations of the condition. Comparisons to clinical data demonstrate that lesions present on the mandibles, crania, scapulae and pelvic bones of these two individuals are consistent with micro-hemorrhaging near muscle attachment sites (e.g. Larralde et al. 2007). Overall, these data support an emerging interpretation of lesion patterns indicative of infantile scurvy and suggest that disease severity may in fact be reflected in lesion distribution and intensity.

"Bioarchaeologists have increasingly advocated placing health data in both cultural and regional ... more "Bioarchaeologists have increasingly advocated placing health data in both cultural and regional contexts in order to more fully interpret the broader social experience of disease. One way to achieve this is to use a life-course approach. This methodology uses mortuary and skeletal data to examine the ways that illnesses accumulate on individuals, by age, in order to explore how persons of different ages and health states were perceived and treated in the past. Moreover, research may also focus on variation in health/treatment of individuals within a particular age category. For example, are infants variably treated after death? Here we apply a life course approach to sites in Mesoamerica where a regional comparison of infant burial practices has yet to be synthesized.
Mortuary treatment and paleopathology data are used to test the recent argument, based on archaeological evidence, that the ill and young (<1 year of age) were viewed as liminal persons across ancient Mesoamerica. Our results appear to support this hypothesis. For example, data from Postclassic/historic Maya and Loma San Gabriel Tepehuan, sites demonstrate high rates of scurvy (58% and 42% respectively) and other bony indicators of ill-health such as periosteal reactions and endocranial lesions, in infants buried in special contexts. Supporting data from other sites in this region will also be discussed. This research highlights the social consequences disease had for particular age groups (such as infants) and provides a more nuanced perspective of the social roles the ill played in prehistory."

Landscapes of Violence: Vol. 2: No. 2, Article 12., 2012

La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos (AD 571-1168) lies just north of Zape, Durango, Mexico. Ongoing... more La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos (AD 571-1168) lies just north of Zape, Durango, Mexico. Ongoing bioarchaeological study at the site has identified sacrificed child burials among the remains of at least 31 individuals. 19 primary interments of partially mummified subadults (n=17, 12 <2 years) exhibit elaborate burial in two groups. Pathological analysis suggests these individuals suffered chronic malnutrition. 26% of subadults examined exhibit porotic hyperostosis and scurvy can be diagnosed among 7 burials, primarily infants (36.8% <2 years). Burning, a lack of scavenging, and careful placement of bundled burials adjacent to a platform area corroborate protohistoric accounts of Tepehuan sacrifice of sick infants and raided captives. Gourd rattles, psychoactive botanicals, a dancing belt, food offerings, shell, turquoise, and amphibian wood carvings accompany the burials, matting and pottery.

In Thompson J, Alfonso-Durruty M, J Crandall, eds. Tracing Childhood: Bioarchaeological Investigations of Early Lives in Antiquity, pp. 198-218., May 20, 2014

Health in marginal environments is a global concern. In particular, children are extremely vulner... more Health in marginal environments is a global concern. In particular, children are extremely vulnerable to malnutrition and infection in such contexts. This chapter presents an analysis of subadult skeletal indicators of stress in the prehispanic American Southwest using skeletal remains from the Black Mesa Archaeological Project. Health of the children of the ancient “working class” is interpreted from analysis of the prevalence of porotic hyperostosis and non-specific periosteal inflammation of the leg bones in 71 non-adults. Evidence of porotic hyperostosis among 86.4% and a 70.7% frequency of periosteal reactions among the sample are examined by severity, degree of healing and by age. These data are contextualized against past bioarchaeological work among the ancestral Pueblo. It is argued that disease experienced by children among these ancient, rural farmers was buffered by Black Mesa’s social system and subsistence strategies which protected the young from stress in ways unique to rural ancestral Puebloans.

Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks, 2014

Human Evolution, Oct 1, 1993

A principal components analysis (PCA) of basicranial measurements (Thompson 1991) isolated KNM-ER... more A principal components analysis (PCA) of basicranial measurements (Thompson 1991) isolated KNM-ER 1805 as having the highest Principal Component (PC) score on PCI of all the fossil hominids. Two measurements with high loadings on PCI were B12 and B13 and these two measurements indicate the relative positions of the foramina ovale (FO) and infratemporal crests (IT) to the tympanic bone (TP). The object of this study was to compare the two measurements of KNM-ER 1805 with those of other early fossil hominids as well as a sample of extant hominoids. The comparison involved the raw measurements, the index of the two measurements, the coefficient of variation, and a t-test. The results of this comparison showed that KNM-ER 1805 had more forwardly placed foramina ovale than any of the comparative specimens. KNM-ER 1805 possesses a number of other unique features which differentiate it from other hominids including a persistent metopic suture, the form of the premolar roots, and the form of the asterionic region. These apparent unique features mean that KNM-ER 1805 is unlikely to represent an "average" male Homo habilis and so is an inappropriate model for the male morph of that species.

Human Evolution, 1993

Journal of Human Evolution, 1998

A new reconstruction of the Le Moustier 1 skull and investigation of internal structures using 3-... more A new reconstruction of the Le Moustier 1 skull and investigation of internal structures using 3-D-CT data Using the non-destructive technique of 3-D micro computed tomography (3-D-CT), we present a new, virtual reconstruction of the Le Moustier 1 Neandertal skull. This new reconstruction corrects defects found in earlier reconstruction attempts by repositioning misaligned cranial fragments, addressing the problem of asymmetry caused by pressure during the fossilization process, and placing the basioccipital in its proper anatomical position. Metric comparisons between Le Moustier 1 and juvenile and adult Neandertals demonstrate that facial height proceeded at a faster rate of growth than facial prognathism at the beginning of the adolescent period. They also confirm the anterior placement of the basioccipital. A compound painted to match the colour of the fossilized bone was used in previous reconstruction attempts and the aim of this analysis was to remove the false material to reveal to what extent the fossilized bone was preserved. The areas with the most artificial material and glue include the palate, areas around the mandibular teeth, the left frontal, and parts of the right parietal and temporal bones. The CT data were also used to examine internal structures of the skull including the frontal sinus and the labyrinth of the inner ear. An investigation of the frontal sinus reveals morphology similar to that found in adult Neandertals, although the structure does not extend to mid-orbit. The dimension of the radius of curvature of the lateral semicircular canal falls within one standard deviation, and the anterior and posterior canals within two standard deviations, of the published Neandertal mean. As in other Neandertals, the posterior semicircular canal is in an inferior position relative to the plane of the lateral canal.

The examination of scurvy by paleopathologists has provided increasingly innovative diagnostic me... more The examination of scurvy by paleopathologists has provided increasingly innovative diagnostic methods for identifying and assessing the impact of this metabolic disorder in past populations (e.g. Schultz 2001; Brickley & Ives 2008). Recent work on the macroscopic analysis of scurvy in non-adult skeletal remains suggests that diagnostic criteria for identifying scurvy in immature individuals may be different from those applied to adult remains (Brown & Ortner 2011). Additionally, this same study argued that lesions on the pelvis suggest severe manifestations of the disease. Data are reported for the mummified and/or skeletonized remains of 11 infants from Zape, Mexico. Given the unique context of these interments (burial complete with shrouds, pillows, grave goods and clay architecture), it is likely that these infants were buried in a ritual manner and therefore the sample of infants may not reflect typical patterns of infant health. Although the sample size is small, 5 (45%) of the infants show lesions suggestive of scurvy. The patterning of periosteal lesions is described in detail, with an emphasis on examples from two of the infants who exhibit widespread lesions, both consistent with severe manifestations of the condition. Comparisons to clinical data demonstrate that lesions present on the mandibles, crania, scapulae and pelvic bones of these two individuals are consistent with micro-hemorrhaging near muscle attachment sites (e.g. Larralde et al. 2007). Overall, these data support an emerging interpretation of lesion patterns indicative of infantile scurvy and suggest that disease severity may in fact be reflected in lesion distribution and intensity.

La Cueva de Dos Cuchillos, near San Francisco de Borja, is a mortuary cave site in Chihuahua, Mex... more La Cueva de Dos Cuchillos, near San Francisco de Borja, is a mortuary cave site in Chihuahua, Mexico. Dating to the late Prehistoric period, commingled human skeletal remains were interred in this cave and are thought to belong to the Tarahumara cultural group. Skeletal analyses indicate that a minimum of 10 adults and 7 subadults were interred at this site. Of these, three individuals exhibited signs of perimortem trauma. This included chop marks on one adult male and perimortem neck fractures on two other individuals. In order to investigate these indications of violence and place the remains in the larger social and political landscape, archeological, ethnographic and ethnohistoric data on the Tarahumara and rehistoric Northern Mexico erimortem trauma other groups in the region was examined. This included information on intergroup interactions between the Tarahumara and other local cultures. The results of the analysis indicate that the wounds on these three individuals could be ...

Historical Archaeology, 2012

7KLV DUWLFOH LGHQWL¿HV DFWLYLW\UHODWHG FKDQJHV WR WUDXPDWLF injuries on, and pathological conditi... more 7KLV DUWLFOH LGHQWL¿HV DFWLYLW\UHODWHG FKDQJHV WR WUDXPDWLF injuries on, and pathological conditions of the human remains of the Chinese immigrants from Carlin, Nevada, who were interred between 1885 and 1923. Chinese males came to the Americas to work as railroad laborers and miners, and when the railroad was completed many went home, but some found work in small towns. In Carlin, Chinese immigrants were employed as merchants, shopkeepers, cooks, laundry workers, and a variety of other occupations. Within this immigrant group, there were differences in the degree of physical labor each individual experienced. According to historical records, this was a time of increasing anti-Chinese sentiments, and WKHUH DUH DFFRXQWV RI LQWHUJURXS FRQÀLFW ZLWK WKH SROLWLFDOO\ dominant settlers. However, little is known about the biological correlates of this sociopolitical inequality. An analysis of these correlates is assessed as a means for understanding patterns of social, economic, and political inequality between these LPPLJUDQWV DQG WKH ORFDO SRSXODWLRQ 7KH ¿QGLQJV GHPRQVWUDWH that socioeconomic and political inequality experienced by the Carlin individuals resulted in high rates of activity-induced changes, trauma, and pathological conditions. Furthermore, examination of the relationship between cranial trauma and other types of skeletal injuries supports research that has shown trauma to the head can predispose people to other types of trauma (accidental or deliberate). The results support the historical accounts of the time that indicate hard physical labor, DFFLGHQWDO RU GHOLEHUDWH WUDXPD DQG LQWHUSHUVRQDO FRQÀLFW ZHUH part of the life history of this group of Chinese immigrants.

Bioarchaeological Investigations of Early Lives in Antiquity, 2014

Anthropological Review, 2015

Bioarchaeological Investigations of Early Lives in Antiquity, 2014

Landscapes of Violence, 2012

San Francisco de Borja is a cave-shelter burial site located in Chihuahua, Mexico, that was excav... more San Francisco de Borja is a cave-shelter burial site located in Chihuahua, Mexico, that was excavated in the 1950s by Richard and Sheilagh Brooks and is now curated at UNLV. Human remains collected from this cave site include male, female and juvenile individuals dating from the late prehistoric period. This project documents and analyzes the wide range of taphonomic processes that have affected these remains. These processes include perimortem chop marks, surface bleaching and burning. Based on these observations, violence and partial cremation of some individuals is suggested.

Landscapes of Violence, May 1, 2012

The La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos site (AD 660-1430) is located just north of Durango, Mexico... more The La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos site (AD 660-1430) is located just north of Durango, Mexico. A reanalysis of the human remains from this site, excavated in the 1950s by Sheilagh and Richard Brooks, has yielded important new information. This cave site contains at least 25 burials of infants and children (n=21 being 0-3 years of age) and at least three adult burials all associated with the Gabriel San Loma Cultural Phase. Using long bone lengths and radiographic analysis of dental development, age approximations for the subadults were obtained. All of the complete juvenile burials exhibit active cases of non-specific periosteal reactions on the cranium. Sixty percent of these burials also exhibit periosteal reactions on the long bones. In addition, porotic hyperostosis (n=7) and cribra orbitalia (n=5) are present. A number of cases of possible juvenile scurvy (n>5) were also identified. Taphonomic indicators of the mortuary context revealed evidence of burning and sequenced internment involving matting, burial fabric, and intentional placement of burials provide evidence of ritualized burial treatment. Results from the analysis of coprolites and quids found in the cave (Reinhard, et al. 1988) provide additional information on diet and health. Large quantities of food and extralocal jewelry was also a part of the ritual offering. Vegetative data noting the presence of botanicals used for drug production at the site (Foster 1984), suggests that an unusual occurrence such as ritual sacrifice likely precipitated the deaths of up to 25 infants and children.

Bioarchaeological studies of children have, until recently, centered on population data-driven to... more Bioarchaeological studies of children have, until recently, centered on population data-driven topics like mortality rates and growth and morbidity patterns. this volume examines emerging issues in childhood studies, looking at historic and prehistoric contexts and framing questions about the nature and quality of children's lives. how did they develop their social identity? Were they economic actors in early civilizations? Does their health reflect that of the larger community?

Children's lives differ significantly from those of adults due to disparate social identities and variable growth needs. Comparing field research from a variety of sites across Europe and the Americas, the contributors to this volume demonstrate that children not only have unique experiences but also share cross-culturally, in daily struggles. In some of the cases presented, this is the first time that child remains have been examined in any detail, making Tracing Childhood an essential resource for scholars and researchers in this growing field.

Bioarchaeological studies of children have, until recently, centered on population data–driven to... more Bioarchaeological studies of children have, until recently, centered on population data–driven topics like mortality rates and growth and morbidity patterns. This volume examines emerging issues in childhood studies, looking at historic and prehistoric contexts and framing questions about the nature and quality of children’s lives. How did they develop their social identity? Were they economic actors in early civilizations? Does their health reflect that of the larger community?

Children’s lives differ significantly from those of adults due to disparate social identities and variable growth needs. Comparing field research from a variety of sites across Europe and the Americas, the contributors to this volume demonstrate that children not only have unique experiences but also share, cross-culturally, in daily struggles. In some of the cases presented, this is the first time that child remains have been examined in any detail, making Tracing Childhood an essential resource for scholars and researchers in this growing field.