Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1997

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Anthropology

Major Professor

Richard Jantz

Committee Members

Murray Marks, Gerald Schroedl

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of changing nutritional status on femoral cortical bone among Plains Indians affiliated with sites in Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota from the Plains village period to the Reservation period. Previous studies have examined the relationship of nutritional stress and loss of cortical bone for Plains Indians but this study uses a larger sample and expands the number of groups.

Cortical bone thickness measurements, medullary cavity width and total subperiosteal diameter, were taken directly from radiographs of femora. The general linear models analysis of variance statistic was used for evaluation of both the primary and derived variables. Sites included in this research are divided into either Central Plains or Northern Plains sites and then are further subdivided into archaeological variants specific for the geographic area of study.

The Central Plains archaeological variants were expected to show an increase in bone cortex between the Central Plains tradition and the Lower Loup phase due to improving climatic conditions and availability of bison. A decrease was expected between the Lower Loup phase and the Disorganized Coalescent variant, when the Pawnee were experiencing epidemic disease and inter-tribal conflict. For the most part, the expected mean differences were observed but these differences were not statistically significant. The means for medullary cavity width for the Central Plains tradition were especially unexpected.

In general, statistical results for the Northern Plains sites reveal expected patterns of nutritional stress as reflected in the variable means. A rise in cortical thickness is expected and observed between the Extended and Postcontact Coalescent variants. Expectations are also met for the Disorganized Coalescent since a decline in Arikara cortical thickness is evident as they were faced with increasing problems due to Euroamerican contact. One problem of unexpected mean values is found with the Initial Middle Missouri variant. This sample was expected to demonstrate high levels of nutritional stress; however, this is not supported by the results.

One possible explanation for the exhibition of minimal nutritional stress among the Central Plains tradition and Initial Middle Missouri tradition samples is offered. These prehistoric groups may have been maintaining high levels of activity while in search of food. Since the femur is a weight bearing bone, activity levels are more likely to stimulate bone growth in the femur. High levels of activity may have counteracted any loss of bone caused by nutritional stress in these samples.

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