Bodies of evidence: The human remains from Flinders Petrie's excavations in British Mandate Palestine.

European and Northwest African Middle Pleistocene Hominids by F. Clark Howell of human skeletal remains from the Middle Pleistocene has always been one of the greatest gaps in human-paleontological knowledge. At THE SPARSE REPRESENTATION first, Southeastern Asia was unique in having provided remains from the Trinil beds in Java, but the signifi­ cance of this poorly preserved skull-cap was confirmed and greatly amplified by subsequent discoveries (Von Koenigswald 1940) of better preserved specimens at other localities of similar age, as well as in the still older Djetis beds. Still tfuly unique in all the world is the somewhat younger occupation site of Locality 1 Choukoutien, with its extraordinarily abundant, prob­ ably cannibalized, human remains in association with hearths, stone implements (Choukoutienian chopper/ chopping-tool complex), and remains of slaughtered animals. For many years, the only such find from the West was the enigmatic human mandible from the Grafenrain gravel pit at Mauer in the Rhineland. Then, within a few years in the mid-thirties, three additional speci­ mens came to light in western Europe (Steinheim), Britain (Swanscombe), and northwest Africa (Rabat, Morocco). In the last several years, further Middle Pleistocene human remains were found in northwest Africa, both in Algeria (Ternifine) and in Morocco (Sidi Abderrahman). All these discoveries (Fig. I) have excellent paleontological associations, and, in three cases (Swanscombe, Ternifine, Sidi Abderrahman), there are associated stone implements (Acheulean of various stages). However, no occupation site is yet F. CLARK HOWELL is Associate Professor of Anthropology, De­ partment of Anthropology, University of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.). He was born in 1925, and educated at the University of Chicago (Ph.D., 1953). HOWELL has undertaken field and other studies on early man in Europe (1953,1956) and in Africa (1954,1957-58,1959), and made a recent brief visit to Israel (1959). He has published various papers on human paleontology, especially as regards the Neanderthal problem, and on early man and the Pleisto­ cene in general. Prior to submitting the present paper to CURRENT ANTHRO­ POLOGY, HOWELL sent it, for comment and criticism, to three colleagues, of whom W. W. Howells and Kenneth P. Oakley responded. The response was primarily commendatory, and except for HOWELL's addition of some paragraphs along lines recommended by Oakley, the paper stands as first written. Vol. I . No.3' Ma)' 1960 known from the Middle Pleistocene of Europe or Africa with in situ human skeletal remains, stone im· plements, and the bones of slaughtered animals. These human skeletal remains, taken in conjunction with those from the Middle Pleistocene of eastern and southern Asia, have an important bearing on interpre­ tations of the course of human evolution. The signifi­ cance of these discoveries has been obscured by the pre­ occupation of some human paleontologists with other human remains either suspected to be of Pleistocene antiquity or questionable due to an extraordinary com· plex of morphological features (the famous hoax of Piltdown). Largely as a consequence of this, there have grown up two main interpretations of man's phylogeny in the Pleistocene, one depending on the possible im­ portance of the suspicious fossils, and the other de­ pending only on the scanty, but well-dated, human fos­ sils enumerated above. The former interpretation recognizes an early, at least earlier, Middle Pleistocene separation of a morphologically modern (sapiens) lineage. The latter postulates progressive transforma· tion of primitive and variable Middle Pleistocene hu­ man populations into diverse Neanderthal and re­ lated, geographically distinctive, groups, as well as into incipiently sapiens peoples. The purpose of this paper is to discuss tI-1e significance of the :Middle Pleistocene human remains from Europe and North Africa for the resolution of this basic problem in the study of human phylogeny. COMPARATIVE STRATIGRAPHY AND ASSOCIATIONS THAMES RIVER: SWANSCOl\'IBE The Swanscombe human remains were recovered from gravel deposits exposed in the Barnfield pit, be­ tween Dartford and Gravesend, on the south bank of the lower Thames River valley. Marston (1937) dis­ covered a complete occipital in June, 1935, and a left parietal in March, 1936. Twenty years later Wymer re­ covered the right parietal of the same individual. The three fragments occurred in the same seam of sandy

The Enigma of the Hyksos, Volume 1: ASOR Conference Boston 2017—ICAANE Conference Munich 2018—Collected Papers

When human skeletal remains are discovered, there is initially little knowledge or explanation of their background. Executing a thorough osteological analysis of human skeletal remains can identify unknown information and provide new knowledge. Skeletal remains purchased from India until 1985 are believed to stem from a “legal” grave-robbing bone trade. A set of human remains housed at WVWC’s human anatomy lab, purchased in the early 1960s, display an “Origin India” sticker. Due to the origination, we decided to analyze the human remains. The purpose of this study is to conduct a complete osteological analysis on this set of human remains. Data were collected using Standards for Data Collection from Human Skeletal Remains and The Human Bone Manual. Specific bony features and abnormalities found during the analysis were compared to the given scientific norms to establish pathology. Preliminary anthropometric assessments show lumbosacral scoliosis. The remains appear to belong to a young adult (15-20) but age is difficult to infer due to post mortem alteration of the epiphyses. There is evidence of a potential calcium deficiency, which also affects epiphyseal fusion, which can alter age approximation. Sex appears ambiguous which supports the young age, but leaning male, based on the pubic symphysis and ventral arc. Bone remodeling around the sternum indicates fracture with complete healing. The tibiae show bowing; all articulations appear gracile, though some long bones show early osteoarthritis. Due to this controversial analysis, future research warrants a detailed computed tomography scan.

Human remains are present in a number of contexts. Some of these are archaeological burial sites, which can comprise individual or mass graves burials. Human remains are usually found buried (or cremated), but they can also be found in museums and in universities, as part of their anatomical collections. Human remains can be found in churches as relics, in ossuaries, and as part of objects. Hence human remains refer to not just a complete skeleton, but also apart of a bone or tooth, hair and mummified remains. In more recent forensic, police or medico-legal cases, human skeletal remains can be found in a number of contexts, such as fire scenes, natural disasters, clandestine graves, or on the surface in open areas (e.g. a woodland). One aspect ofphysical anthropology is that which studies human skeletal remains in order to reconstruct the past, understand human variation, and provide information about the deceased individuals, such as their age at death, sex, ancestry, stature, pathological conditions or traumatic injuries; the remains from medico-legal or police cases fall under the branch offorensic anthropology.

The purpose of this study is to present the current status of research into human remains excavated from archaeological sites in South Korea following its liberation from Japanese colonial rule and to examine the improvements potentially needed to conduct adequate archaeological research on human remains in South Korea in the near future. Human remains, as archaeological data, can provide various types of information, such as the biological characteristics of past groups of people. They also provide direct data that can shed light on many aspects of cultural evolution, and discussions regarding how to properly use data from human remains excavated from archaeological sites in Korea are still in their preliminary stages. Continued developments in science and technology are expected to reveal more information than can currently be obtained from ancient human skeletal remains. To gather information on the cultures of ancient people, which is the ultimate goal of archaeology, there has to be a shared understanding that ancient human skeletal remains must be treated ethically before being viewed simply as potential sources of archaeological data. Further, to increase the value of the collected data, there is a need for a higher degree of interdisciplinary research through mutual collaboration with multiple archaeologists as well as other experts in the fields of anthropology, genetics, and biochemistry.

Numerous highly fragmented bones and some partial skeletons characterise the human skeletal remains at the Early Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture (LBK) enclosure of Herxheim, near Landau, Rhineland-Palatinate. The predominant portion of the archaeological and osteological finds had been deposited within apparent ditches, and these finds and the possible circumstances of their deposition led to the preliminary assumption that they were the result of a warlike conflict. First doubts were raised by the very large total number of at least 450 individuals. Moreover, the evidence that those skull injuries caused by strong blows had all completely healed, that intentional manipulation of the skulls, cut-marks and fragmentation of the postcranial skeleton were consistent among the finds, and that the human remains were laid down in depots, all suggest a recurring ritual act rather than a single warlike incident. Therefore, the hypothesis of a wartime event at Herxheim should be dismissed.

This chapter focuses on the analysis and identification of human remains, in particular those that are skeletonised. Forensic identification of human remains is a legal duty based on the scientific compatibility of information on missing persons with unidentified human remains. When human skeletal remains are presented, the most important methods for establishing identity include DNA analysis, odontology, comparative X-ray analysis, and skull–photo comparison. Moreover, when human skeletal remains are found, it is mandatory to medically examine them in order to pronounce death and establish, if possible, time, manner, and cause of death where attainable. Once the skeletal remains have been identified as being human, subsequently, the identification of the victim’s characteristics, and cause and manner of death from the skeleton takes place. The identification of human remains is important for both legal and humanitarian reasons. Moreover, a multidisciplinary approach is very important in the case of the recovery of human skeletal remains.

Conducting osteological analyses on human skeletal material enhances our knowledge of these remains. Photos and descriptions are insufficient when communicating the wear, pathology, variation, or nuances of native populations. There are numerous laws, regulations, and financial dilemmas hindering our ability to further research human skeletal remains. Unfortunately, smaller institutions frequently find sophisticated imaging tools to be cost-prohibitive. Photographs lack sufficient detail when attempting to capture and convey an accurate representation of the unique structure, markings, and degenerationof human skeletal remains. Integrating new technology and techniques into this field has the potential to solve these dilemmas. CT scanning and file extracting creates virtual three-dimensional models and stores the information for future study. This removes the time limit surrounding this research (due to mandatory repatriation) and allows for thorough skeletal analyses. To assess this methodology, we conducted complete osteological analyses on two CT replicated human skeletal remains of two individuals uncovered during the archaeological excavation in Cabell County, West Virginia. In previous studies we analyzed the accuracy of the digital data by comparing physical human remains to the digitized versions. We hypothesized that the digital replicas allow a complete osteological analysis of the human skeletal material. Data were collected using human remains digitized on a GE VCT Medical CT scanner. The CT data were extracted into a 3D digital file for analysis while using the Standards for Data Collection from Human Skeletal Remains. Results show we can indicate identification of fundamental skeletal anatomy with all skeletal landmarks and basic osteometric measurements.

The place of human remains in the frame of cultural heritage: the restitution of medieval skeletons from a Jewish cemetery

In the early 1960s, human skeletal remains of several individuals were found in apparent association with late Pleistocene mammals during an excavation at Devil's Den sinkhole in Levy County, Florida. The rarity of these associations in Florida and across the Americas is well-known. Most sites suggesting this antiquity contain diagnostic lithic and bone artifacts, but no human remains. Very little has been published about the Devil's Den site, and the human remains were not available for study until 2003. Unfortunately, neither the human nor animal bones can be dated by the radiocarbon method due to a lack of sufficient surviving collagen. We present new data indicating that the concentrations of rare earth elements preserved in the bones of the human skeletal remains and associated latest Pleistocene faunas are indistinguishable, and significantly greater than a control group of modern mammals. We interpret these results to indicate that the humans found at Devil's Den were contemporaneous with the extinct latest Pleistocene (Rancholabrean) fauna, about 13 ka.

The identification of heavily challenged human remains retrieved in forensic anthropological scenarios is a difficult task. The extraction of sufficient amount of high molecular weight quality DNA from such remains, its sequencing and analy sis has greatly helped in their identification pursuits. Multiple factors affect DNA preservation in skeletal remains, partic ularly the type of bone and its anatomical positioning in human body. The literature search revealed that femur, petrous bone and molar teeth are preferable sources of ancient DNA for identification of heavily damaged human remains. Present review emphasizes the comparative importance of petrous bone, femur and molar teeth in ancient DNA research and lays a foundation for future investigations that may further unravel the complexities of forensic identification of unknown human remains. The petrous bone is a comparatively highly effective and reliable source for ancient DNA due to its distinct anatomical and structural properties. The unique value of petrous bone also enables researchers to delve deeper into historical populations, offering critical insights into the origins of humans and the evolutionary forces that have shaped our species over time.

FIG. 1. Exposure at PIrezletice, near Prague, 1967; at the base, about 4.0 m. below the surface, is dark layer 6. DETAILED INVESTIGATION since 1965 by the Central Geological Survey in Prague of fauna from Pirezletice has brought to light not only a number of primitive stone tools and stratigraphically identifiable species of mammals of the Early Pleistocene, but also extremely important human skeletal remains. The earliest human remains in Europe have previously been represented by a lower mandible found in a sandpit at Mauer, southeast of Heidelberg, Germany, in 1907 (Schoetensack 1908) and by the occipital portion of an. adult skull (Homo II) and four isolated fragments of deciduous teeth (Homo I), discovered in 1965 by Hungarian archaeologists and paleontologists in travertines at Vertesszollos, about 50 km. west of Budapest (Kretzoi and Vertes 1965; Thoma 1966, 1967; Stq9licka 1968). While the finds from Mauer and Vertesszollos are probably of the same ageUpper Biharian-(the latter being somewhat younger), their taxonomic relations are still obscure. Pre-Neanderthal cultures of various types are attested by the more or less primitive stone implements collected through Europe, Asia and Africa. Such implements were found at both Mauer and Vertesszollos and are thus documented by the accompanying fauna and human remains. Tools have also recently been found in association with Early Pleistocene fauna at Stranska' Skala, near Brno (Musil 1965). For the most part, however, tools occur in sediments or on the surface of river terraces without skeletal remains or other paleontological material (Zebera 1962, 1965). The Pirezletice site, between Prague and the town Brand's near Labe, was discovered during operations in a small

Sample-specific sex estimation in archaeological contexts with commingled human remains: a case study from the Middle Neolithic cave of Bom Santo in Portugal

Assessing the relative benefits of imaging with plain radiographs and microCT scanning to diagnose cancer in past populations

The quantity and nutritional quality of food available to human populations undoubtedly played a major role in the adaptive processes associated with human evolution. This should have been particularly the case in that period of human history from Mesolithic times to the present when epochal changes took place in the subsistence base of many human societies. In the Near East the domestication of plants and animals began toward the end of the Mesolithic period but became fully developed in the Neolithic. This development included agriculture and pastoralism along with cultural changes associated with greater sedentism and urbanism.