A comparative study of activity-related skeletal changes in 3rd-2nd millennium BC coastal fishers and 1st millenium AD inland agriculturists in Chile, South America
The reconstruction of patterns of physical activities, behaviour, and lifestyle in past populations is one of the goals most often pursued by bioarchaeologists. This study considers the presence of a group of markers of occupational stress (MOS) that are accepted by many in bioarchaeology as representing the impact of physical activity. To examine their presence, two past populations from northern Chile who practised two contrasting subsistence economies such as marine hunting and gathering with agricultural farmers were compared. The skeletal markers analysed were enthesophytes, osteoarthritis, spondylolysis, os acromiale, osteochondritis dissecans as well as changes in size, shape and robusticity of long bones. The aim of this study was to compare the pattern of these MOS in archaic coastal fishers (3rd-2nd millennium BC) with inland agriculturalists (1st millennium AD). One hundred and seventy-five skeletons of adult males and females curated at the Museo ArqueolĂłgico San Miguel de Azapa in Arica, Chile were analysed. It was found that early coastal populations were in general significantly more affected by these MOS when compared with later inland agriculturalists thus suggesting that the archaic way
Ponce, Paola Vanesa
A comparative study of activity-related skeletal changes in 3rd-2nd millennium BC coastal fishers and 1st millenium AD inland agriculturists in Chile, South America. The reconstruction of patterns of physical activities, behaviour, and lifestyle in past populations is one of the goals most often pursued by bioarchaeologists. This study considers the presence of a group of markers of occupational stress (MOS) that are accepted by many in bioarchaeology as representing the impact of physical activity. To examine their presence, two past populations from northern Chile who practised two contrasting subsistence economies such as marine hunting and gathering with agricultural farmers were compared. The skeletal markers analysed were enthesophytes, osteoarthritis, spondylolysis, os acromiale, osteochondritis dissecans as well as changes in size, shape and robusticity of long bones. The aim of this study was to compare the pattern of these MOS in archaic coastal fishers (3rd-2nd millennium BC) with inland agriculturalists (1st millennium AD). One hundred and seventy-five skeletons of adult males and females curated at the Museo ArqueolĂłgico San Miguel de Azapa in Arica, Chile were analysed. It was found that early coastal populations were in general significantly more affected by these MOS when compared with later inland agriculturalists thus suggesting that the archaic way
comparative_study activity_related skeletal change millennium coastal fisher millenium inland chile south_america reconstruction pattern physical activity behaviour lifestyle past_population goal often pursue study_considers presence group marker occupational stress accept many bioarchaeology represent impact physical activity examine presence past_population northern chile practise two_contrast subsistence_economy marine hunt gather agricultural farmer compare skeletal marker analyse osteoarthritis well change size_shape robusticity long bone aim_study compare pattern archaic coastal fisher millennium inland agriculturalist skeleton adult male_female curated chile analyse find early coastal population general significantly affect compare later inland agriculturalist thus suggest archaic way