Date of Award

6-2017

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Anthropology

First Advisor

Dr. Jacqueline Eng

Second Advisor

Dr. Michelle Machicek

Third Advisor

Dr. LouAnn Wurst

Keywords

Entheseal changes, osteoarthritis, labor and activity patterns, Hamann-Todd, early 20th century Cleveland

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Recent studies about the American past have aimed to examine multiple lines of evidence to reanalyze the American lived experience. Despite this, there has been limited research conducted using methods from biological anthropology. Skeletal analysis of a sample from the Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection, consisting of individuals (n=118) who lived in Cleveland, Ohio was utilized to understand how the American lived experience impacted the biological stresses of these individuals. The objective was to investigate entheseal changes and degenerative joint disease on the upper limb to reconstruct activity patterns and to test for possible disparities which may represent differing biological stress experiences. The prevalence and distribution (patterning) among site locations was scored and interpreted as evidence of biological stress variability and changes over time or different types of activity patterns. Results indicate that most locations among entheseal changes and degenerative joint disease were similar. However, there were some instances which demonstrate statistically significant differences and patterning between among all the variables which is indicative of different life experiences and stresses.

Included in

Anthropology Commons

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