PhD in Anatomy at University of Otago. Received Master's from Texas State University in Forensic Anthropology and Bachelor's from CSU, Chico in Anthropology with minors in Forensic Identification and Chemistry. My research employs isotope analysis in conjunction with geostatistical modeling to investigate the migration and reconstruct dietary exploitations of modern, prehistoric, and historic humans and animals. My background is in forensic anthropology, isotope analysis, and anthropological geochemistry. Supervisors: Rebecca Kinaston , Charlotte King, Hallie Buckley, and Clement Bataille
This report summarises the preliminary results of the first season of excavations at the site of ... more This report summarises the preliminary results of the first season of excavations at the site of Lungi Tepa in the Kugitang Piedmonts, south Uzbekistan. The research was conducted by an international (Czech-New Zealand-Uzbek) archaeological-bioanthropological team in autumn 2019. The excavations focused on obtaining stratigraphic data from the Medieval settlement of Lungi Tepa and uncovering an adjacent burial ground in order to get well-dated reference material for future in-depth study of the High Medieval chronology of the studied region.
This multidisciplinary study analyzes kurī skeletal remains from the Northern Runway Development ... more This multidisciplinary study analyzes kurī skeletal remains from the Northern Runway Development (NRD) archaeological site (AD 1400–1800) to develop an ‘osteo-history’ and help us better understand 1) human-dog interactions; 2) the role kurī played in early Māori societies; and 3) to potentially use kurī as a proxy for human behavior at the site. We combine dental analysis with stable isotope analyses of bone and tooth dentine to investigate the kurī diet. Additionally, we use strontium isotope and mitogenomic analyses to explore the migration histories of the kurī and, by proxy, the humans they lived among at the NRD site during the late pre-contact period in Aotearoa. Through our exploratory investigation of the kurī skeletal remains, we found evidence of extensive interaction spheres with nearby and potentially distant communities. Furthermore, the kurī were healthy, demonstrated minimal tooth wear, and they subsisted heavily on a protein-rich, marine diet. This study demonstrates that variability is present in the origins, diet, health, and treatment of kurī at a single locality.
Highlights: We found that 12 of the 20 unidentified undocumented border crosser cases (60%) had i... more Highlights: We found that 12 of the 20 unidentified undocumented border crosser cases (60%) had isotope values that predicted similar geographic regions for childhood (based on tooth bioapatite) and adulthood (based on bone bioapatite) residence. Including the isotopically predicted "birthplace" in the search criteria on the NamUs database greatly reduced the number of matching missing person reports by an average of 93.1%. We recommend that future sampling protocols for unidentified deceased migrant forensic cases, at minimum, collect dental samples (premolars or molars are preferred) for isotopic analysis.
As people, animals and materials are transported across increasingly large distances in a globali... more As people, animals and materials are transported across increasingly large distances in a globalized world, threats to our biosecurity and food security are rising. Aotearoa New Zealand is an island nation with many endemic species, a strong local agricultural industry, and a need to protect these from pest threats, as well as the economy from fraudulent commodities. Mitigation of such threats is much more effective if their origins and pathways for entry are understood. We propose that this may be addressed in Aotearoa using strontium isotope analysis of both pests and products. Bioavailable radiogenic isotopes of strontium are ubiquitous markers of provenance that are increasingly used to trace the origin of animals and plants as well as products, but currently a baseline map across Aotearoa is lacking, preventing use of this technique. Here, we have improved an existing methodology to develop a regional bioavailable strontium isoscape using the best available geospatial datasets ...
Objectives: This study aims to assess if inter-island mobility can be identified during the Namu ... more Objectives: This study aims to assess if inter-island mobility can be identified during the Namu period (ca. 1,510-1800 AD) using 87Sr/86Sr analysis of dental enamel for individuals from the Namu burial ground on Taumako Island in the eastern Solomon Island Chain. Historic evidence from this region suggests that females migrated between the Duff, Reef, and Santa Cruz islands for marriage purposes. We hypothesize that observable trends in migrational (87Sr/86Sr ) and dietary (δ13C and δ15N) isotopes can reveal the relationship between demographic factors, social status, diet, and female mobility on Taumako. Methods: This research analyzes enamel 87Sr/86Sr for 58 individuals in the Namu skeletal sample. The 87Sr/86Sr results were compared with published dietary isotope data (bone collagen and dentin δ13C and δ15N values) and type/number of grave goods to assess whether trends within the data may be related to sex, age, or burial wealth. Results: The results show that females display significantly higher 87Sr/86Sr values compared to males. One young adult female displayed a 87Sr/86Sr value that was +2SD outside the mean for the sampled individuals. A linear mixed-effects model and principle components analysis of 87Sr/86Sr, δ13C, and δ15N values suggest that wealth, sex, and age-cohort membership have an observable influence on the isotopic variation for the Taumako population. Conclusion: We suggest that during the Namu period, Taumako was patrilocal and that some females migrated there from the nearby Santa Cruz and Reef islands. One female immigrated to Taumako from a geologically distinct region outside of the Duff, Reef, and Santa Cruz Island groups.
Forensic Science and Humanitarian Action: Interacting with the dead and the living, 2020
Methods for estimating age, sex and stature are well‐developed and produce quantifiable accurate ... more Methods for estimating age, sex and stature are well‐developed and produce quantifiable accurate classifications if the necessary skeletal elements are present. However, the primary methods used to estimate ancestry are craniometric (Spradley et al., 2008) and dental morphological analyses (Edgar, 2013), both of which are not currently capable of discerning between “Hispanics” of different country origins. This is mainly due to “the term Hispanic [being] a social construct with no precise genetic meaning” (Spradley et al., 2008: 21). Instead, the US Census Bureau classifies all members of the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America (except Brazil) into one general category, “Hispanic” (Spradley et al., 2008). Recent and promising attempts have been made by Edgar (2013) to differentiate between New Mexican and South Florida Hispanics using specific dental morphological traits that are common within each population. In some cases, the skull and/or the appropriate teeth necessary for ancestry estimations are not present, which prohibits either craniometric or dental morphological analyses. For cases missing the essential skeletal elements required for ancestry estimation, stable isotope analysis can help predict potential regions of origin based on the geochemical signature of the bones and teeth. Stable isotopes are incorporated into the hard and soft tissues of an individual during life from food, water and the environment, and can be extracted after death to inform the analyst about the diet and migration patterns of the decedent. Isotope results can be used to rule out geographical regions that do not correspond to predictions based on isotope signatures from skeletal material. Stable isotope data can be used to reduce the time spent looking at missing person reports that may match the biological profile but are not consistent with the isotopic information for an unidentified individual.
OBJECTIVE: This doctoral research has multiple aims: 1) to establish an isoscape that depicts 87S... more OBJECTIVE: This doctoral research has multiple aims: 1) to establish an isoscape that depicts 87Sr/86Sr variation for Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa) using previously established machine-learning methods, 2) to use the constructed 87Sr/86Sr isoscape and a probabilistic assignment model to predict provenance for a prehistoric sample of dogs (kurī) that lived among early Māori populations at the NRD site on the North Island of Aotearoa, 3) to re-evaluate published 87Sr/86Sr data for archaeological human remains (kōiwi tangata) from Wairau Bar using the new 87Sr/86Sr model, and 4) to show the applicability of 87Sr/86Sr analysis for studying past populations in geologically under-sampled islands in the South Pacific, specifically on the Polynesian Outlier, Taumako, southeastern Solomon Islands. All projects seek to use 87Sr/86Sr analysis as a tool to understand migration in the South Pacific, with their primary focus on Aotearoa. METHODS/MATERIALS: This research utilizes human dental enamel, kurī (Canis familiaris) dental enamel, plant, and soil samples to explore migration using strontium isotope analysis. Preparation and 87Sr/86Sr analysis of all samples, except the Taumako human dental enamel, were completed at the Otago Community Trust Centre for Trace Element Analysis in Dunedin, New Zealand. The Taumako samples were analyzed at the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. RESULTS: This doctoral research produced a 87Sr/86Sr isoscape (R2=0.53, RMSE=0.001) and validated its use for region-of-origin predictions using cow milk samples (n=33) obtained from farms throughout Aotearoa. Predictions for cow milk highlighted all potential origin locations that share similar 87Sr/86Sr values, with the closest predictions averaging 7.05 km away from their true place of origin. These results of this study, published in PLOS ONE (Kramer et al. 2022), demonstrate that this bioavailable strontium isoscape is effective for tracing locally produced agricultural products in Aotearoa. Furthermore, two archaeological case studies were investigated using the 87Sr/86Sr isoscape. The first re-evaluates the kōiwi isotope data from Wairau Bar and suggests that the inhabitants of the early period settlement originate from various regions within Aotearoa and may have used Wairau Bar as a central meeting locale. The second case study integrates 87Sr/86Sr isoscape predictions for kurī with additional lines of evidence(aDNA, dietary isotopes, dental analysis) to create an “osteo-history” for the North Runway Development (Auckland) site to better understand 1) human-dog interactions; 2)the role kurī played in early Māori societies; and 3) to potentially use kurī as a proxy for human behavior at the site. The fourth article shows the applicability of performing87Sr/86Sr analysis even in regions of the world where constructing a 87Sr/86Sr isoscape may not be feasible, like Taumako island, in the eastern Solomon Islands chain. This study, published in American Journal of Physical Anthropology (Kramer et al. 2020)shows that 87Sr/86Sr analysis can help uncover societal structures and interaction spheres through the analysis of 87Sr/86Sr data. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The ultimate objective of this doctoral research (four related articles) was to illustrate that using machine learning techniques to construct 87Sr/86Sr isoscapes and perform assignment predictions can improve our understanding of interaction spheres among and within past populations. With the availability of the 87Sr/86Sr model produced in this thesis and the case studies illustrating its worth, this study aims to promote and contribute to future 87Sr/86Sr-focused research in Aotearoa and the South Pacific. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that 87Sr/86Sr analysis contributes to our understanding of population variation and structure even in regions where 87Sr/86Sr isoscapes cannot be constructed due to paucity of existing data needed to perform machine learning approaches. BROADER IMPACTS: This research matters because it will: 1) improve our understanding of early migration, settlement strategies, and interaction spheres in Aotearoa, 2) provide a cost-effective reference 87Sr/86Sr isoscape for Aotearoa that will aid future provenance research, and 3) engage the public using archaeological case studies to illustrate how 87Sr/86Sr can help researchers better understand our ancestors.
Texas State University, San Marcos Digital Library - Thesis, 2018
The land spanning the Mexico and US border totals 2,000 miles and experiences hundreds of thousan... more The land spanning the Mexico and US border totals 2,000 miles and experiences hundreds of thousands of border-crossings each year by migrants fleeing violence, seeking refuge and safety, in search of work, better healthcare, educational opportunity, and to reunite with family (Anderson, 2008; Spradley, et al. 2008; Holmes, 2013; DeLuca, et al. 2010). In recent years, migrants apprehended in Texas Border Patrol Sectors consist of males and females of varying age groups traveling from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador (United States Customs and Border Protection, 2016). The Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME), Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS), Colibri Center for Human Rights, Argentinian Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF), and South Texas Human Rights Center have joined together in an agreement to share information concerning migrant deaths with the goal of increasing the number of positive identifications and to better understand the scope and impact of migrant deaths (Anderson & Spradley, 2016; Spradley, 2014).
Currently, the primary methods used to estimate ancestry for unidentified skeletal remains are craniometric (Spradley, et al. 2008) and dental morphological analyses (Edgar, 2013), both of which are not currently capable of discerning between “Hispanics” of different country origins. This is mainly due to “the term Hispanic [being] a social construct with no precise genetic meaning” (Spradley et al., 2008:21). Instead, the U.S. Census Bureau classifies all members of the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America as “Hispanic” (Spradley et al., 2008). Promising attempts have recently been made by Edgar (2013) to differentiate between New Mexican Hispanics and South Floridan Hispanics using dental morphological traits that are characteristic of those populations. In some cases, the cranium and/or the appropriate teeth necessary for ancestry estimations are not present, which prohibits either craniometric or dental morphological analyses. For cases missing essential skeletal elements required for ancestry estimation, stable isotope analysis can help estimate the regional geochemical signature of the skeletal elements and dental structures that are recovered with the individual. Stable isotopes are incorporated into the hard and soft tissues of people during life and can be extracted after death to inform the investigator of diet and migration patterns of the decedent. Therefore, I propose using stable isotope analyses as a tool to estimate geographic region of residence for deceased undocumented migrants recovered along the Mexico-US border in South Texas.
Strontium and oxygen isotope analysis can aid in the identification and repatriation of deceased migrants by excluding possible matches and isotopically
narrowing the region of residence to specific areas within Central America, South America, the Caribbean, as well as Mexico. The use of isotopes to help identify migrants can be applied in conjunction with DNA, craniometric, and dental morphological data. Isotope analysis can rule out geographic regions that do not correspond to predictions based on isotope signatures from skeletal material. This eliminates time spent looking at missing person reports that may match the biological profile but are not congruent with the isotopic information for the individual.
This report summarises the preliminary results of the first season of excavations at the site of ... more This report summarises the preliminary results of the first season of excavations at the site of Lungi Tepa in the Kugitang Piedmonts, south Uzbekistan. The research was conducted by an international (Czech-New Zealand-Uzbek) archaeological-bioanthropological team in autumn 2019. The excavations focused on obtaining stratigraphic data from the Medieval settlement of Lungi Tepa and uncovering an adjacent burial ground in order to get well-dated reference material for future in-depth study of the High Medieval chronology of the studied region.
This multidisciplinary study analyzes kurī skeletal remains from the Northern Runway Development ... more This multidisciplinary study analyzes kurī skeletal remains from the Northern Runway Development (NRD) archaeological site (AD 1400–1800) to develop an ‘osteo-history’ and help us better understand 1) human-dog interactions; 2) the role kurī played in early Māori societies; and 3) to potentially use kurī as a proxy for human behavior at the site. We combine dental analysis with stable isotope analyses of bone and tooth dentine to investigate the kurī diet. Additionally, we use strontium isotope and mitogenomic analyses to explore the migration histories of the kurī and, by proxy, the humans they lived among at the NRD site during the late pre-contact period in Aotearoa. Through our exploratory investigation of the kurī skeletal remains, we found evidence of extensive interaction spheres with nearby and potentially distant communities. Furthermore, the kurī were healthy, demonstrated minimal tooth wear, and they subsisted heavily on a protein-rich, marine diet. This study demonstrates that variability is present in the origins, diet, health, and treatment of kurī at a single locality.
Highlights: We found that 12 of the 20 unidentified undocumented border crosser cases (60%) had i... more Highlights: We found that 12 of the 20 unidentified undocumented border crosser cases (60%) had isotope values that predicted similar geographic regions for childhood (based on tooth bioapatite) and adulthood (based on bone bioapatite) residence. Including the isotopically predicted "birthplace" in the search criteria on the NamUs database greatly reduced the number of matching missing person reports by an average of 93.1%. We recommend that future sampling protocols for unidentified deceased migrant forensic cases, at minimum, collect dental samples (premolars or molars are preferred) for isotopic analysis.
As people, animals and materials are transported across increasingly large distances in a globali... more As people, animals and materials are transported across increasingly large distances in a globalized world, threats to our biosecurity and food security are rising. Aotearoa New Zealand is an island nation with many endemic species, a strong local agricultural industry, and a need to protect these from pest threats, as well as the economy from fraudulent commodities. Mitigation of such threats is much more effective if their origins and pathways for entry are understood. We propose that this may be addressed in Aotearoa using strontium isotope analysis of both pests and products. Bioavailable radiogenic isotopes of strontium are ubiquitous markers of provenance that are increasingly used to trace the origin of animals and plants as well as products, but currently a baseline map across Aotearoa is lacking, preventing use of this technique. Here, we have improved an existing methodology to develop a regional bioavailable strontium isoscape using the best available geospatial datasets ...
Objectives: This study aims to assess if inter-island mobility can be identified during the Namu ... more Objectives: This study aims to assess if inter-island mobility can be identified during the Namu period (ca. 1,510-1800 AD) using 87Sr/86Sr analysis of dental enamel for individuals from the Namu burial ground on Taumako Island in the eastern Solomon Island Chain. Historic evidence from this region suggests that females migrated between the Duff, Reef, and Santa Cruz islands for marriage purposes. We hypothesize that observable trends in migrational (87Sr/86Sr ) and dietary (δ13C and δ15N) isotopes can reveal the relationship between demographic factors, social status, diet, and female mobility on Taumako. Methods: This research analyzes enamel 87Sr/86Sr for 58 individuals in the Namu skeletal sample. The 87Sr/86Sr results were compared with published dietary isotope data (bone collagen and dentin δ13C and δ15N values) and type/number of grave goods to assess whether trends within the data may be related to sex, age, or burial wealth. Results: The results show that females display significantly higher 87Sr/86Sr values compared to males. One young adult female displayed a 87Sr/86Sr value that was +2SD outside the mean for the sampled individuals. A linear mixed-effects model and principle components analysis of 87Sr/86Sr, δ13C, and δ15N values suggest that wealth, sex, and age-cohort membership have an observable influence on the isotopic variation for the Taumako population. Conclusion: We suggest that during the Namu period, Taumako was patrilocal and that some females migrated there from the nearby Santa Cruz and Reef islands. One female immigrated to Taumako from a geologically distinct region outside of the Duff, Reef, and Santa Cruz Island groups.
Forensic Science and Humanitarian Action: Interacting with the dead and the living, 2020
Methods for estimating age, sex and stature are well‐developed and produce quantifiable accurate ... more Methods for estimating age, sex and stature are well‐developed and produce quantifiable accurate classifications if the necessary skeletal elements are present. However, the primary methods used to estimate ancestry are craniometric (Spradley et al., 2008) and dental morphological analyses (Edgar, 2013), both of which are not currently capable of discerning between “Hispanics” of different country origins. This is mainly due to “the term Hispanic [being] a social construct with no precise genetic meaning” (Spradley et al., 2008: 21). Instead, the US Census Bureau classifies all members of the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America (except Brazil) into one general category, “Hispanic” (Spradley et al., 2008). Recent and promising attempts have been made by Edgar (2013) to differentiate between New Mexican and South Florida Hispanics using specific dental morphological traits that are common within each population. In some cases, the skull and/or the appropriate teeth necessary for ancestry estimations are not present, which prohibits either craniometric or dental morphological analyses. For cases missing the essential skeletal elements required for ancestry estimation, stable isotope analysis can help predict potential regions of origin based on the geochemical signature of the bones and teeth. Stable isotopes are incorporated into the hard and soft tissues of an individual during life from food, water and the environment, and can be extracted after death to inform the analyst about the diet and migration patterns of the decedent. Isotope results can be used to rule out geographical regions that do not correspond to predictions based on isotope signatures from skeletal material. Stable isotope data can be used to reduce the time spent looking at missing person reports that may match the biological profile but are not consistent with the isotopic information for an unidentified individual.
OBJECTIVE: This doctoral research has multiple aims: 1) to establish an isoscape that depicts 87S... more OBJECTIVE: This doctoral research has multiple aims: 1) to establish an isoscape that depicts 87Sr/86Sr variation for Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa) using previously established machine-learning methods, 2) to use the constructed 87Sr/86Sr isoscape and a probabilistic assignment model to predict provenance for a prehistoric sample of dogs (kurī) that lived among early Māori populations at the NRD site on the North Island of Aotearoa, 3) to re-evaluate published 87Sr/86Sr data for archaeological human remains (kōiwi tangata) from Wairau Bar using the new 87Sr/86Sr model, and 4) to show the applicability of 87Sr/86Sr analysis for studying past populations in geologically under-sampled islands in the South Pacific, specifically on the Polynesian Outlier, Taumako, southeastern Solomon Islands. All projects seek to use 87Sr/86Sr analysis as a tool to understand migration in the South Pacific, with their primary focus on Aotearoa. METHODS/MATERIALS: This research utilizes human dental enamel, kurī (Canis familiaris) dental enamel, plant, and soil samples to explore migration using strontium isotope analysis. Preparation and 87Sr/86Sr analysis of all samples, except the Taumako human dental enamel, were completed at the Otago Community Trust Centre for Trace Element Analysis in Dunedin, New Zealand. The Taumako samples were analyzed at the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. RESULTS: This doctoral research produced a 87Sr/86Sr isoscape (R2=0.53, RMSE=0.001) and validated its use for region-of-origin predictions using cow milk samples (n=33) obtained from farms throughout Aotearoa. Predictions for cow milk highlighted all potential origin locations that share similar 87Sr/86Sr values, with the closest predictions averaging 7.05 km away from their true place of origin. These results of this study, published in PLOS ONE (Kramer et al. 2022), demonstrate that this bioavailable strontium isoscape is effective for tracing locally produced agricultural products in Aotearoa. Furthermore, two archaeological case studies were investigated using the 87Sr/86Sr isoscape. The first re-evaluates the kōiwi isotope data from Wairau Bar and suggests that the inhabitants of the early period settlement originate from various regions within Aotearoa and may have used Wairau Bar as a central meeting locale. The second case study integrates 87Sr/86Sr isoscape predictions for kurī with additional lines of evidence(aDNA, dietary isotopes, dental analysis) to create an “osteo-history” for the North Runway Development (Auckland) site to better understand 1) human-dog interactions; 2)the role kurī played in early Māori societies; and 3) to potentially use kurī as a proxy for human behavior at the site. The fourth article shows the applicability of performing87Sr/86Sr analysis even in regions of the world where constructing a 87Sr/86Sr isoscape may not be feasible, like Taumako island, in the eastern Solomon Islands chain. This study, published in American Journal of Physical Anthropology (Kramer et al. 2020)shows that 87Sr/86Sr analysis can help uncover societal structures and interaction spheres through the analysis of 87Sr/86Sr data. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The ultimate objective of this doctoral research (four related articles) was to illustrate that using machine learning techniques to construct 87Sr/86Sr isoscapes and perform assignment predictions can improve our understanding of interaction spheres among and within past populations. With the availability of the 87Sr/86Sr model produced in this thesis and the case studies illustrating its worth, this study aims to promote and contribute to future 87Sr/86Sr-focused research in Aotearoa and the South Pacific. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that 87Sr/86Sr analysis contributes to our understanding of population variation and structure even in regions where 87Sr/86Sr isoscapes cannot be constructed due to paucity of existing data needed to perform machine learning approaches. BROADER IMPACTS: This research matters because it will: 1) improve our understanding of early migration, settlement strategies, and interaction spheres in Aotearoa, 2) provide a cost-effective reference 87Sr/86Sr isoscape for Aotearoa that will aid future provenance research, and 3) engage the public using archaeological case studies to illustrate how 87Sr/86Sr can help researchers better understand our ancestors.
Texas State University, San Marcos Digital Library - Thesis, 2018
The land spanning the Mexico and US border totals 2,000 miles and experiences hundreds of thousan... more The land spanning the Mexico and US border totals 2,000 miles and experiences hundreds of thousands of border-crossings each year by migrants fleeing violence, seeking refuge and safety, in search of work, better healthcare, educational opportunity, and to reunite with family (Anderson, 2008; Spradley, et al. 2008; Holmes, 2013; DeLuca, et al. 2010). In recent years, migrants apprehended in Texas Border Patrol Sectors consist of males and females of varying age groups traveling from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador (United States Customs and Border Protection, 2016). The Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME), Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS), Colibri Center for Human Rights, Argentinian Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF), and South Texas Human Rights Center have joined together in an agreement to share information concerning migrant deaths with the goal of increasing the number of positive identifications and to better understand the scope and impact of migrant deaths (Anderson & Spradley, 2016; Spradley, 2014).
Currently, the primary methods used to estimate ancestry for unidentified skeletal remains are craniometric (Spradley, et al. 2008) and dental morphological analyses (Edgar, 2013), both of which are not currently capable of discerning between “Hispanics” of different country origins. This is mainly due to “the term Hispanic [being] a social construct with no precise genetic meaning” (Spradley et al., 2008:21). Instead, the U.S. Census Bureau classifies all members of the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America as “Hispanic” (Spradley et al., 2008). Promising attempts have recently been made by Edgar (2013) to differentiate between New Mexican Hispanics and South Floridan Hispanics using dental morphological traits that are characteristic of those populations. In some cases, the cranium and/or the appropriate teeth necessary for ancestry estimations are not present, which prohibits either craniometric or dental morphological analyses. For cases missing essential skeletal elements required for ancestry estimation, stable isotope analysis can help estimate the regional geochemical signature of the skeletal elements and dental structures that are recovered with the individual. Stable isotopes are incorporated into the hard and soft tissues of people during life and can be extracted after death to inform the investigator of diet and migration patterns of the decedent. Therefore, I propose using stable isotope analyses as a tool to estimate geographic region of residence for deceased undocumented migrants recovered along the Mexico-US border in South Texas.
Strontium and oxygen isotope analysis can aid in the identification and repatriation of deceased migrants by excluding possible matches and isotopically
narrowing the region of residence to specific areas within Central America, South America, the Caribbean, as well as Mexico. The use of isotopes to help identify migrants can be applied in conjunction with DNA, craniometric, and dental morphological data. Isotope analysis can rule out geographic regions that do not correspond to predictions based on isotope signatures from skeletal material. This eliminates time spent looking at missing person reports that may match the biological profile but are not congruent with the isotopic information for the individual.
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Papers by Robyn T Kramer
site (AD 1400–1800) to develop an ‘osteo-history’ and help us better understand 1) human-dog interactions; 2) the role
kurī played in early Māori societies; and 3) to potentially use kurī as a proxy for human behavior at the site. We combine
dental analysis with stable isotope analyses of bone and tooth dentine to investigate the kurī diet. Additionally, we use
strontium isotope and mitogenomic analyses to explore the migration histories of the kurī and, by proxy, the humans
they lived among at the NRD site during the late pre-contact period in Aotearoa. Through our exploratory investigation
of the kurī skeletal remains, we found evidence of extensive interaction spheres with nearby and potentially distant
communities. Furthermore, the kurī were healthy, demonstrated minimal tooth wear, and they subsisted heavily on a
protein-rich, marine diet. This study demonstrates that variability is present in the origins, diet, health, and treatment
of kurī at a single locality.
KEYWORDS: bioarchaeology, biogeochemistry, isotope analysis, migration, Polynesian Outlier, Solomon Islands
with no precise genetic meaning” (Spradley et al., 2008: 21). Instead, the US Census Bureau classifies all members of the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America (except Brazil) into one general category, “Hispanic” (Spradley et al., 2008). Recent and promising attempts have been made by Edgar (2013) to differentiate between New Mexican and South Florida Hispanics using specific dental morphological traits that are common within each population. In some
cases, the skull and/or the appropriate teeth necessary for ancestry estimations are not present, which prohibits either craniometric or dental morphological analyses. For cases missing the essential skeletal elements required for ancestry estimation, stable isotope analysis can help predict potential regions of origin based on the geochemical signature of the bones and teeth. Stable isotopes are incorporated into the hard and soft tissues of an individual during life from food,
water and the environment, and can be extracted after death to inform the analyst about the diet and migration patterns of the decedent. Isotope results can be used to rule out geographical regions that do not correspond to predictions based on isotope signatures from skeletal material. Stable isotope data can be used to reduce the time spent looking at missing person reports that may match the biological profile but are not consistent with the isotopic information for an unidentified individual.
Thesis Chapters by Robyn T Kramer
METHODS/MATERIALS: This research utilizes human dental enamel, kurī (Canis familiaris) dental enamel, plant, and soil samples to explore migration using strontium isotope analysis. Preparation and 87Sr/86Sr analysis of all samples, except the Taumako human dental enamel, were completed at the Otago Community Trust Centre for Trace Element Analysis in Dunedin, New Zealand. The Taumako samples were analyzed at the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.
RESULTS: This doctoral research produced a 87Sr/86Sr isoscape (R2=0.53, RMSE=0.001) and validated its use for region-of-origin predictions using cow milk samples (n=33) obtained from farms throughout Aotearoa. Predictions for cow milk highlighted all potential origin locations that share similar 87Sr/86Sr values, with the closest predictions averaging 7.05 km away from their true place of origin. These results of this study, published in PLOS ONE (Kramer et al. 2022), demonstrate that this bioavailable strontium isoscape is effective for tracing locally produced agricultural products in Aotearoa.
Furthermore, two archaeological case studies were investigated using the 87Sr/86Sr isoscape. The first re-evaluates the kōiwi isotope data from Wairau Bar and suggests that the inhabitants of the early period settlement originate from various regions within Aotearoa and may have used Wairau Bar as a central meeting locale. The second case study integrates 87Sr/86Sr isoscape predictions for kurī with additional lines of evidence(aDNA, dietary isotopes, dental analysis) to create an “osteo-history” for the North Runway Development (Auckland) site to better understand 1) human-dog interactions; 2)the role kurī played in early Māori societies; and 3) to potentially use kurī as a proxy for human behavior at the site. The fourth article shows the applicability of performing87Sr/86Sr analysis even in regions of the world where constructing a 87Sr/86Sr isoscape may not be feasible, like Taumako island, in the eastern Solomon Islands chain. This study, published in American Journal of Physical Anthropology (Kramer et al. 2020)shows that 87Sr/86Sr analysis can help uncover societal structures and interaction spheres through the analysis of 87Sr/86Sr data.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The ultimate objective of this doctoral research (four related articles) was to illustrate that using machine learning techniques to construct 87Sr/86Sr isoscapes and perform assignment predictions can improve our understanding of interaction spheres among and within past populations. With the availability of the 87Sr/86Sr model produced in this thesis and the case studies illustrating its worth, this study aims to promote and contribute to future 87Sr/86Sr-focused research in Aotearoa and the South Pacific. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that 87Sr/86Sr analysis contributes to our understanding of population variation and structure even in regions where 87Sr/86Sr isoscapes cannot be constructed due to paucity of existing data needed to perform machine learning approaches.
BROADER IMPACTS: This research matters because it will: 1) improve our understanding of early migration, settlement strategies, and interaction spheres in Aotearoa, 2) provide a cost-effective reference 87Sr/86Sr isoscape for Aotearoa that will aid future provenance research, and 3) engage the public using archaeological case studies to illustrate how 87Sr/86Sr can help researchers better understand our ancestors.
http://hdl.handle.net/10523/13766
Currently, the primary methods used to estimate ancestry for unidentified skeletal remains are craniometric (Spradley, et al. 2008) and dental morphological analyses (Edgar, 2013), both of which are not currently capable of discerning between “Hispanics” of different country origins. This is mainly due to “the term Hispanic [being] a social construct with no precise genetic meaning” (Spradley et al., 2008:21). Instead, the U.S. Census Bureau classifies all members of the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America as “Hispanic” (Spradley et al., 2008). Promising attempts have recently been made by Edgar (2013) to differentiate between New Mexican Hispanics and South Floridan Hispanics using dental morphological traits that are characteristic of those populations. In some cases, the cranium and/or the appropriate teeth necessary for ancestry estimations are not present, which prohibits either craniometric or dental morphological analyses. For cases missing essential skeletal elements required for ancestry estimation, stable isotope analysis can help estimate the regional geochemical signature of the skeletal elements and dental structures that are recovered with the individual. Stable isotopes are incorporated into the hard and soft tissues of people during life and can be extracted after death to inform the investigator of diet and migration patterns of the decedent. Therefore, I propose using stable isotope analyses as a tool to estimate geographic region of residence for deceased undocumented migrants recovered along the Mexico-US border in South Texas.
Strontium and oxygen isotope analysis can aid in the identification and repatriation of deceased migrants by excluding possible matches and isotopically
narrowing the region of residence to specific areas within Central America, South America, the Caribbean, as well as Mexico. The use of isotopes to help identify migrants can be applied in conjunction with DNA, craniometric, and dental morphological data. Isotope analysis can rule out geographic regions that do not correspond to predictions based on isotope signatures from skeletal material. This eliminates time spent looking at missing person reports that may match the biological profile but are not congruent with the isotopic information for the individual.
site (AD 1400–1800) to develop an ‘osteo-history’ and help us better understand 1) human-dog interactions; 2) the role
kurī played in early Māori societies; and 3) to potentially use kurī as a proxy for human behavior at the site. We combine
dental analysis with stable isotope analyses of bone and tooth dentine to investigate the kurī diet. Additionally, we use
strontium isotope and mitogenomic analyses to explore the migration histories of the kurī and, by proxy, the humans
they lived among at the NRD site during the late pre-contact period in Aotearoa. Through our exploratory investigation
of the kurī skeletal remains, we found evidence of extensive interaction spheres with nearby and potentially distant
communities. Furthermore, the kurī were healthy, demonstrated minimal tooth wear, and they subsisted heavily on a
protein-rich, marine diet. This study demonstrates that variability is present in the origins, diet, health, and treatment
of kurī at a single locality.
KEYWORDS: bioarchaeology, biogeochemistry, isotope analysis, migration, Polynesian Outlier, Solomon Islands
with no precise genetic meaning” (Spradley et al., 2008: 21). Instead, the US Census Bureau classifies all members of the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America (except Brazil) into one general category, “Hispanic” (Spradley et al., 2008). Recent and promising attempts have been made by Edgar (2013) to differentiate between New Mexican and South Florida Hispanics using specific dental morphological traits that are common within each population. In some
cases, the skull and/or the appropriate teeth necessary for ancestry estimations are not present, which prohibits either craniometric or dental morphological analyses. For cases missing the essential skeletal elements required for ancestry estimation, stable isotope analysis can help predict potential regions of origin based on the geochemical signature of the bones and teeth. Stable isotopes are incorporated into the hard and soft tissues of an individual during life from food,
water and the environment, and can be extracted after death to inform the analyst about the diet and migration patterns of the decedent. Isotope results can be used to rule out geographical regions that do not correspond to predictions based on isotope signatures from skeletal material. Stable isotope data can be used to reduce the time spent looking at missing person reports that may match the biological profile but are not consistent with the isotopic information for an unidentified individual.
METHODS/MATERIALS: This research utilizes human dental enamel, kurī (Canis familiaris) dental enamel, plant, and soil samples to explore migration using strontium isotope analysis. Preparation and 87Sr/86Sr analysis of all samples, except the Taumako human dental enamel, were completed at the Otago Community Trust Centre for Trace Element Analysis in Dunedin, New Zealand. The Taumako samples were analyzed at the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.
RESULTS: This doctoral research produced a 87Sr/86Sr isoscape (R2=0.53, RMSE=0.001) and validated its use for region-of-origin predictions using cow milk samples (n=33) obtained from farms throughout Aotearoa. Predictions for cow milk highlighted all potential origin locations that share similar 87Sr/86Sr values, with the closest predictions averaging 7.05 km away from their true place of origin. These results of this study, published in PLOS ONE (Kramer et al. 2022), demonstrate that this bioavailable strontium isoscape is effective for tracing locally produced agricultural products in Aotearoa.
Furthermore, two archaeological case studies were investigated using the 87Sr/86Sr isoscape. The first re-evaluates the kōiwi isotope data from Wairau Bar and suggests that the inhabitants of the early period settlement originate from various regions within Aotearoa and may have used Wairau Bar as a central meeting locale. The second case study integrates 87Sr/86Sr isoscape predictions for kurī with additional lines of evidence(aDNA, dietary isotopes, dental analysis) to create an “osteo-history” for the North Runway Development (Auckland) site to better understand 1) human-dog interactions; 2)the role kurī played in early Māori societies; and 3) to potentially use kurī as a proxy for human behavior at the site. The fourth article shows the applicability of performing87Sr/86Sr analysis even in regions of the world where constructing a 87Sr/86Sr isoscape may not be feasible, like Taumako island, in the eastern Solomon Islands chain. This study, published in American Journal of Physical Anthropology (Kramer et al. 2020)shows that 87Sr/86Sr analysis can help uncover societal structures and interaction spheres through the analysis of 87Sr/86Sr data.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The ultimate objective of this doctoral research (four related articles) was to illustrate that using machine learning techniques to construct 87Sr/86Sr isoscapes and perform assignment predictions can improve our understanding of interaction spheres among and within past populations. With the availability of the 87Sr/86Sr model produced in this thesis and the case studies illustrating its worth, this study aims to promote and contribute to future 87Sr/86Sr-focused research in Aotearoa and the South Pacific. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that 87Sr/86Sr analysis contributes to our understanding of population variation and structure even in regions where 87Sr/86Sr isoscapes cannot be constructed due to paucity of existing data needed to perform machine learning approaches.
BROADER IMPACTS: This research matters because it will: 1) improve our understanding of early migration, settlement strategies, and interaction spheres in Aotearoa, 2) provide a cost-effective reference 87Sr/86Sr isoscape for Aotearoa that will aid future provenance research, and 3) engage the public using archaeological case studies to illustrate how 87Sr/86Sr can help researchers better understand our ancestors.
http://hdl.handle.net/10523/13766
Currently, the primary methods used to estimate ancestry for unidentified skeletal remains are craniometric (Spradley, et al. 2008) and dental morphological analyses (Edgar, 2013), both of which are not currently capable of discerning between “Hispanics” of different country origins. This is mainly due to “the term Hispanic [being] a social construct with no precise genetic meaning” (Spradley et al., 2008:21). Instead, the U.S. Census Bureau classifies all members of the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America as “Hispanic” (Spradley et al., 2008). Promising attempts have recently been made by Edgar (2013) to differentiate between New Mexican Hispanics and South Floridan Hispanics using dental morphological traits that are characteristic of those populations. In some cases, the cranium and/or the appropriate teeth necessary for ancestry estimations are not present, which prohibits either craniometric or dental morphological analyses. For cases missing essential skeletal elements required for ancestry estimation, stable isotope analysis can help estimate the regional geochemical signature of the skeletal elements and dental structures that are recovered with the individual. Stable isotopes are incorporated into the hard and soft tissues of people during life and can be extracted after death to inform the investigator of diet and migration patterns of the decedent. Therefore, I propose using stable isotope analyses as a tool to estimate geographic region of residence for deceased undocumented migrants recovered along the Mexico-US border in South Texas.
Strontium and oxygen isotope analysis can aid in the identification and repatriation of deceased migrants by excluding possible matches and isotopically
narrowing the region of residence to specific areas within Central America, South America, the Caribbean, as well as Mexico. The use of isotopes to help identify migrants can be applied in conjunction with DNA, craniometric, and dental morphological data. Isotope analysis can rule out geographic regions that do not correspond to predictions based on isotope signatures from skeletal material. This eliminates time spent looking at missing person reports that may match the biological profile but are not congruent with the isotopic information for the individual.