Anthropological Investigations Research Articles

We Cannot Say What the Human Is: The Problem of Anthropology in Adorno’s Philosophy of Art

Abstract This article investigates a problem in Theodor W. Adorno’s thought: how can Adorno critique advanced capitalist societies for their dehumanizing tendencies while also refusing the possibility of defining the human? Motivating this inquiry is a renewed investigation of philosophical anthropology by thinkers like Axel Honneth and Jürgen Habermas, who explore positive theories of human limits and needs as the basis of social critique. As Adorno consistently refused to define the human on philosophical and political grounds, this article asks whether his work offers an unexamined alternative to philosophical anthropology’s revival. A reconstruction of Adorno’s position shows how Adorno displaces anthropological problems into his philosophy of art, where the principle of mimesis offers a potentially nonanthropological model of human potential. Yet it also reveals how Adorno’s refusal to directly interrogate philosophical anthropology leads him to implicitly prescribe a certain figure of the human, undermining the value of his resistance to anthropological definitions.

Editorial - Prospects and scope of anthropological investigation of cremated human remains: Workshop of the Workgroup Palaeoanthropology and Physical Anthropology of the Society for Anthropology on the investigation of cremated human remains, 12th and 13th April 2019 in Weimar, Germany.

Editorial - Prospects and scope of anthropological investigation of cremated human remains: Workshop of the Workgroup Palaeoanthropology and Physical Anthropology of the Society for Anthropology on the investigation of cremated human remains, 12th and 13th April 2019 in Weimar, Germany.

Biological age estimation using DNA methylation analysis: A systematic review

Age estimation is a fundamental part in forensic, criminal, legal, and anthropological investigations. The biomolecular analysis is considered to have a good capability in estimating age because it can describe a person's biological age. According to previous studies, DNA methylation has the best effectiveness for estimating biological age, compared to other biomolecular analysis. Although DNA methylation is influenced by a number of factors such as heredity, environment, lifestyle and systemic diseases, DNA methylation still has accuracy that accountable to estimate age. A literature review search of PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and EBSCO was conducted to get all studies that published before February 2020. The review was then performed on 22 papers that selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The purpose of this reviewed paper was to identify all gene markers that have been used to estimate age using DNA methylation analysis; and to find out the subject, age range, tissue taken for DNA methylation analysis, and the effectiveness of the analysis.

An Anthropological Investigation of Ethnomedicinal Plants Used in Cure of Skin Diseases among the Tribals of Bajag Forest Range of Central India

An Anthropological Investigation of Ethnomedicinal Plants Used in Cure of Skin Diseases among the Tribals of Bajag Forest Range of Central India

The Fate of the Remains and Funerary Equipment of Czech Rulers and Their Family Members

Prague Castle was the most important burial site of the Czech rulers and their relatives. The graves are located in the Church of the Virgin Mary, in St. George Church and Convent, and, in the greatest numbers in the St. Vitus Cathedral.
 Reliquary tombs of the most important Czech patron saints are also located at Prague Castle – in St. George Basilica, in St. Vitus Cathedral and in All Saints Church. We also know the graves of 12 Prague bishops that are located in the St. Vitus Cathedral.
 The majority of the aforementioned graves have been opened several times in the past for a variety of reasons, that caused various problems, the most serious of which involved the confusion of relics.
 The first systematic anthropological investigations were conducted at the beginning of the 20th century. The remains of nearly all historical personalities buried at Prague Castle were available for another anthropological study conducted in the 1960s. Currently, the research continues with modern nature science analyzes.
 In the past, removed grave goods did not receive proper care for the most part, mainly due to a lack of understanding as to what constituted correct procedures for handling artefacts deposited for years in the unsuitable conditions of graves and tombs. The grave goods themselves were often restored in an inappropriate manner. The restoration situation improved significantly after the establishment of restoration and conservation workshops in 2000.
 The opening of graves is problematic and, from an ethical point of view, should be performer only to a very limited extent. Necessary construction work is a common reason for disruption, and in this case remains should be treated with respect. And if grave goods are removed, they must be cared for in a proper manner, as these artefacts are often irreplaceable heritage whose scientific study is a legitimate pursuit. The mere lust for knowledge, often connected with efforts to generate sensation, does not entitle us to disturb the resting place of our ancestors with ill-considered interventions.

Multicentric morphometric study of sexual dimorphism in body of first sacral vertebra of dry human sacra in Central India region

Human skeleton and its remains are important material for racial, genetic, anthropological and forensic investigations. Sacrum being the last skeletal remains proves important in sex determination & identification of deceased. The first sacral vertebra is last to decay in the sacrum. This study is to validate the selected morphometric parameterss and indices related to first sacral vertebra and thus sex determination by the available part of human sacrum. Multicentric study on 282 dry human sacra in central india region was conducted after due permission of institution ethics committee. Transverse, anterio-poeterior diameter of S-1 was measured and Index of S-1 was calculated. Mean value of transverse diameter of first sacral vertebra is 4.78 and 4.46 and Anterio-posterio diameter is 3.07 and 2.89 for male and female sacra with t-value of 4.8839 and 4.2262 respectively & P-value highly significant. Mean value for Index of S-1 for male and female is 8.4429 and 8.9327 respectively with t-value 0.0568. This multicentric study provides morphometric values of first sacral vertebra that can be used for determination of sex and forensic identification in Central India region. Morphometric indicators of first sacral vertebra can be used for the anatomical and forensic purpose where partial or broken sacra is only skeletal remains. Keywords: First sacral vertebra, S-1, Sacrum, Identification point, Demarking point.

La globalización en los países andinos y la situación de la población indígena

Short description (Adapted from introductory paragraph):“Since the early 90s of the 20th century, I followed systematically the development of the socio-cultural and ethno-political situation in the Andean region, meaning the countries in West South America, whose territories include the Pacific coast, and extend into the Andes. The main area of my anthropological investigations relates to three countries, namely to Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. Despite the fundamental differences in economic development and particular political differences that can be observed, these countries have much in common. This allows me to treat this region as a single cultural entity and to compare similarities between processes taking place here…”
 Translated and adapted by Michal Gilewski

Sexual Dimorphism in the Permanent Maxillary First Molar Teeth in the Rajasthan Population

ABSTRACT Introduction Sex estimation in forensic science is an essential step for medicolegal purposes. Teeth are an excellent material for anthropological, odontological, genetic, and forensic investigations as they are known to resist a variety of ante-mortem and post-mortem insults. Sexual dimorphism is an indicator of gender differences that can be observed in several aspects of the human skeleton such as the pelvis, cranium, femur, humerus, canines, and other structures. Maxillary first molars are the first permanent teeth to erupt into the oral cavity at the mean age of 6–7 years and are less commonly impacted as compared to canines. The purpose of this study was to indicate whether sexual dimorphism also exists in the first maxillary molar of humans. Aim To determine the sexual dimorphism in the permanent maxillary first molar teeth using the mesiodistal and buccolingual crown width. Materials and methods The present study was performed on 80 patients from the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jaipur. Mesiodistal and buccolingual width were measured on the basis of intraoral examination and plaster modal with the help of Vernier caliper. Sexual dimorphism (in percentage) was calculated from these measured parameters. Results The mean values of right and left mesiodistal width and buccolingual width were less for females than for males and the differences were statistically significant for buccolingual width but nonsignificant for mesiodistal width. The sexual dimorphism was slightly greater on the right side than the left side. Buccolingual width of right maxillary molar teeth shows maximum sexual dimorphism among all measurements (both intraoral 5.13% and cast 5.18%). Conclusion This study signifies the possible role of morphometric study of canine teeth in estimation of gender and it can be used in forensic investigations where gender determination of skeletal remains is difficult. How to cite this article Sharma S, Sharma S. Sexual Dimorphism in the Permanent Maxillary First Molar Teeth in the Rajasthan Population. J Mahatma Gandhi Univ Med Sci Tech 2020;5(1):4–8.

A biomolecular anthropological investigation of William Adams, the first SAMURAI from England

William Adams (Miura Anjin) was an English navigator who sailed with a Dutch trading fleet to the far East and landed in Japan in 1600. He became a vassal under the Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, was bestowed with a title, lands and swords, and became the first SAMURAI from England. "Miura" comes from the name of the territory given to him and "Anjin" means "pilot". He lived out the rest of his life in Japan and died in Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture, in 1620, where he was reportedly laid to rest. Shortly after his death, graveyards designated for foreigners were destroyed during a period of Christian repression, but Miura Anjin’s bones were supposedly taken, protected, and reburied. Archaeological investigations in 1931 uncovered human skeletal remains and it was proposed that they were those of Miura Anjin. However, this could not be confirmed from the evidence at the time and the remains were reburied. In 2017, excavations found skeletal remains matching the description of those reinterred in 1931. We analyzed these remains from various aspects, including genetic background, dietary habits, and burial style, utilizing modern scientific techniques to investigate whether they do indeed belong to the first English SAMURAI.

Misión en cuestión: antropología y evangelización en la Prelatura de Ayaviri (1968-1975)

Una nueva aproximación hacia la religiosidad popular —y su valoración— marcó significativamente la actuación de la Iglesia católica latinoamericana en las décadas posconciliares y dio lugar a un creciente número de investigaciones antropológicas de las subculturas religiosas. No obstante, las reformas de las prácticas evangelizadoras en línea con dichos estudios despertaron poco interés académico. Este artículo analiza la compleja relación entre antropología y misión en la Prelatura de Ayaviri (Puno), que a partir de la Conferencia Episcopal de Medellín (1968) se apoyó en la investigación científico-social para reformular su práctica pastoral. Específicamente, este artículo aclara cómo el renovado compromiso de la prelatura con el «otro», el campesino quechua, no solo contribuyó a la producción de conocimientos sobre el panorama sociorreligioso regional, sino también causó dificultades a una Iglesia cuya naturaleza misionera fue objeto de escrutinio y cambio a principios de los años setenta.

Justice after Atrocity

Anthropologists have been critical of the global asymmetries of knowledge and power embedded in justice institutions established in the aftermath of violence. Truth commissions and mediation processes may be coopted by states seeking to nation-build and extend their coercive and normative capacity in local communities. International criminal courts may impose an alien version of justice that disrupts national politics and a peace process, and they often misapprehend the causes of mass crimes because they employ a form of legal inquiry that is far removed from local historical contexts. Litigation against companies for complicity in crimes against humanity may raise survivors’ expectations, only to dash them when states refuse to recognize universal jurisdiction. Even when legal recourse is not successful, new social movements focused on accountability, reparations, and legal remedy can emerge that engender new forms of sociality and political subjectivity. Anthropological investigations into transitional justice reveal a complex process in which survivors can recover an emancipatory political agency, and anthropologists testifying as experts often influence outcomes more than anticipated.

Phosphorescence of thermally altered human bone

Bone has photoluminescent characteristics that can aid the analysis of thermally altered human skeletal remains as part of the forensic anthropological investigation. Photoluminescence stands collectively for fluorescence and phosphorescence. Because the difference in lifetime between fluorescence and phosphorescence is usually in the range of nano- to microseconds, it is only possible to visually determine whether bone phosphoresces when the lifetime is long enough to be observed. For this study, a distinction was made between long-decay and short-decay phosphorescence. So far, it was unknown whether (thermally altered) human bone emits long-decay phosphorescence after being illuminated and, thus, whether phosphorescence contributes to the observed photoluminescence. If so, whether the observable phosphorescence is dependent on temperature, exposure duration, surrounding medium, bone type, skeletal element, and excitation light and could aid the temperature estimation of heated bone fragments. In this study, bone samples were subjected to heat in the range of from room temperature to 900 °C for various durations in either air or adipose as surrounding medium. In addition, different skeletal elements of a human cadaver were recollected after cremation in a crematorium. Both sample collections were illuminated with light of different bandwidths and visually inspected for phosphorescence and photoluminescence. The samples were scored by means of a scoring index for the intensity of long-decay phosphorescence and photographically documented. The results show that thermally altered human bone fragments do phosphoresce. The observed phosphorescence is more dependent on temperature than on exposure duration, surrounding medium or skeletal element. Of the used wavelength bands, ultraviolet light provided the most temperature-related information, showing changes in both phosphorescence intensity and emission spectrum. Long-decay phosphorescence and fluorescence with short-decay phosphorescence coincide; however, there are also temperature-dependent differences. It is therefore concluded that phosphorescence contributes to the observable photoluminescence and that the visibly observable phosphorescent characteristics can aid the temperature estimation of cremated human skeletal fragments.

Cervical spine surgery in the ancient and medieval worlds.

The early historical literature on cervical spine surgery lacks printed material for review, and we can rely only on pathological material from the prehistoric period that has survived as a result of anthropological investigations. After the introduction of Egyptian and early Hellenic medicine, some written material became available. This paper reviews these materials, from both books and manuscripts, in an effort to understand the development of cervical spine surgery from the perspectives of the personalities involved and the early surgical practices used. The review thus considers the following five eras of medicine: 1) prehistoric; 2) Egyptian and Babylonian; 3) Greek and early Byzantine; 4) Middle Eastern; and 5) medieval.

Indigenous childhood in Argentina: Parenting, care and formative experiences of Qom and Mbyá children

Recent investigations in South American anthropology have focused on children in a range of contexts. In ethnographic research with children from indigenous communities in Argentina, we have considered social categories that result in different ways of being a child. In this way, this article presents a model that departs from a traditional, monolithic approach to childhood. The aim is to examine the first stage of life, guided by nominal references, childrearing and the formative experiences of children, with a focus on the network of social relations during this stage of live, particularly, linguistic development, religion and play.

Dislocated dialogue: An anthropological investigation of digitisation among professionals in fire safety

Like many other industries worldwide, the Danish architecture, engineering and construction industry is currently undergoing digitisation of knowledge, processes and standards. While digitisation promises great improvements in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, not everyone is convinced that digitisation will always lead to the hoped for benefits. In this article, I explore a number of prominent concerns that Danish fire safety professionals have raised with regards to ongoing efforts to digitise their knowledge and expertise. The focus on digitisation is deliberate, as I suggest that scrutinising the implications and concerns raised by professionals in digitisation can help us foresee unintended, potentially dangerous, consequences, of digitalisation. In building on anthropological fieldwork, I argue that professionals are concerned about digitising fire safety, and its potentially dark results, because they worry that digitisation may dislocate ‘mētis’ from ‘techne’, and that digital outputs may be misunderstood or not applied correctly. Such a turn of events could lead not just to material losses (e.g. destroyed buildings), but to the loss of human lives too. This ‘ concern’ with life and death thus appears to underpin the fire safety professionals’ belief in the importance of dialogue in organizationally complex circumstances, and their hesitance to engage with digitisation. On this basis, I propose that by shifting from a resistance and apprehension framework to a concern and dialogue framework, we may be able to foster more empathetic, productive and understanding collaborations within and across organisations during both digitisation and digitalisation.

A Comparison of Forensic Age Prediction Models Using Data From Four DNA Methylation Technologies.

Individual age estimation can be applied to criminal, legal, and anthropological investigations. DNA methylation has been established as the biomarker of choice for age prediction, since it was observed that specific CpG positions in the genome show systematic changes during an individual’s lifetime, with progressive increases or decreases in methylation levels. Subsequently, several forensic age prediction models have been reported, providing average age prediction error ranges of ±3–4 years, using a broad spectrum of technologies and underlying statistical analyses. DNA methylation assessment is not categorical but quantitative. Therefore, the detection platform used plays a pivotal role, since quantitative and semi-quantitative technologies could potentially result in differences in detected DNA methylation levels. In the present study, we analyzed as a shared sample pool, 84 blood-based DNA controls ranging from 18 to 99 years old using four different technologies: EpiTYPER®, pyrosequencing, MiSeq, and SNaPshotTM. The DNA methylation levels detected for CpG sites from ELOVL2, FHL2, and MIR29B2 with each system were compared. A restricted three CpG-site age prediction model was rebuilt for each system, as well as for a combination of technologies, based on previous training datasets, and age predictions were calculated accordingly for all the samples detected with the previous technologies. While the DNA methylation patterns and subsequent age predictions from EpiTYPER®, pyrosequencing, and MiSeq systems are largely comparable for the CpG sites studied, SNaPshotTM gives bigger differences reflected in higher predictive errors. However, these differences can be reduced by applying a z-score data transformation.

Occlusal Morphology of Primary Molars in Anganwadi Children, Faridabad

Introduction - Forensic odontology helps in identifying any suspect involved in crime, in accidental cases, in disaster victim identifications. Teeth shows variation in its anatomy as it has a very strong hereditary component. Variations in occlusal morphology of teeth include differences in the number of cusps and the fissure pattern. So, it is important to know the occlusal morphology of teeth in Forensic odontology. Materials and Method - A descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the cusp and groove pattern in primary second molar of 3-6 year old children from Anganwadis of Faridabad. Hellman and Gregory’s criteria for groove pattern were used to know the buccal groove pattern and cusps of primary molar. Data were analyzed with SPSS statistics software 23.0 version. Result - The predominant groove pattern was “Y” (73.34%). Majority of the participants has 5 cusps in primary second molar. 67.45% of the study participants had 5Y occlusal morphology of primary mandibular second molar and it is mostly seen in male children. Conclusion - This occlusal configuration will further help in various genetic, anthropological and forensic investigations. Furthermore, knowing common variations in dental anatomy and morphology about each individual tooth can help in providing dental treatments such as restorative, endodontic and orthodontic treatments

Probable vestiges of metabolic diseases in Roman Imperial cremations from Northern Germany.

In 2011, a cremation burial ground from the Roman Imperial Period (2nd - 3rd century CE) was detected at the site of Gessel (district of Diepholz) in Northern Germany. The anthropological investigation of 21 cremations from this burial ground revealed a total of 22 individuals: 10 adults of both sexes and 12 children of less than 7 years. All cremations were obviously carried out at high temperatures above 750 °C. Most of them were very well and representatively preserved, and not too fragmented. This excellent state of preservation offered us a unique chance to diagnose a variety of pathological conditions. In six cremations of subadult individuals, possible vestiges of metabolic diseases were observed. Evidence of traits such as cribra orbitalia and porotic hyperostosis, as well as porous ventral surfaces of the femoral neck and the vertebral bodies was established in the cremations of five subadult individuals. Light microscopically, these traits could be identified as having resulted from bone marrow expansion, indicating anaemia as the probable cause. In two individuals, a layer-like structure of the skull vault was observed, which is often connected to rickets. Furthermore, in three subadult individuals demonstrating anaemic features of marrow expansion, additionally, fine porous new bone formations due to haemorrhages were observed in areas of mechanical load or mastication, possibly indicating scurvy. Against the background of the temporal and geographical context, different factors such as nutritional deficiencies, intestinal parasite or malaria infestations must be considered as possibly causative for the distinct skeletal vestiges of metabolic diseases. Furthermore, a connection between the three pathological conditions seems likely.

Chinese New Age milieu and the emergence of homo sentimentalis in the People’s Republic

The accelerating speed of economic, social, and cultural reforms in the past three decades in mainland China has created an atmosphere of moral uncertainty that encouraged many people to search for happiness by turning inwards. Shen xin ling (身心灵, translated as Body-Heart-Soul) fever refers to the growing interest among Chinese urbanites in various seminars that creatively transform the guiding principles of the Euro-American New Age movement, incorporating China into transnational networks of alternative spiritualities. This anthropological investigation into the shen xin ling milieu locates its genealogy in the progression of several post-Maoist self-cultivation fevers, most notably the recent ‘psycho-boom’. It focuses on Chinese New Agers’ practices of emotional release, conceptualizing them as ‘psy-venting’ spaces where the emotions that could result in resentment at those who perpetuate structural inequalities are released, dispersed, and channelled back to the individual. In so doing, these affective flows become carriers for Chinese state discourses related to therapeutic governing. This process is characterized by tensions as shen xin ling practitioners find themselves positioned at the intersections of state-endorsed discourses on consumerism, entrepreneurialism, the re-traditionalization of gender roles, and anxieties over multilevel marketing schemes and accusations of ‘evil cult’.

Belgium experience in disaster victim identification applied in handling terrorist attack at Brussels Airport 2016

The Belgian disaster victim identification (DVI) team is involved in many investigations in our country. Indeed, this specialized team of the federal police oversees searching for and investigating criminally buried dead bodies, identification of unknown putrefied corpses, and more. The Belgian DVI team also assists with the identification of victims of mass disasters (natural, accidental, and mass murders). In this article, we consider the contributions of different teams (forensic pathology, anthropology, and odontology, federal police, and crime scene investigation) both on the scene of the attack at the Brussels National Airport (Zaventem) and in the laboratory work (autopsies, sample studies).