Iron Age cremation graveyards are a relatively rare phenomenon in the Netherlands and there is a general lack of understanding of demographic data based on osteological analyses of these graveyards...Show moreIron Age cremation graveyards are a relatively rare phenomenon in the Netherlands and there is a general lack of understanding of demographic data based on osteological analyses of these graveyards. Cremation analysis of these graveyards is not done on a consistent basis and osteological information is generally lacking. In the research, the Middle to Late Iron Age graveyard from Panningen-Loo (Netherlands) has been analysed and compared to other graveyard within the Meuse-Demer-Scheldt (MDS) region in the southern Netherlands. Furthermore, a GIS-analysis has been carried out to analyse locations of graves, grave types and demographics within the graveyard. The osteological analysis was carried out using standard macroscopic methods of analysis for cremated remains. With the help of a literature study and a GIS-analysis, comparisons in and between graveyards have been made. Several statistical calculations were ran to test the significance of weight and fragmentation between demographics and grave types. In total, 31 graves were found which contained 33 individuals. Grave types following the scheme of Hiddink (2003) were proposed: sixteen graves were of type A. Ten were of type B. Seven graves were of type C. The grave types also differed in other terms: weight, fragmentation and location were different for the proposed grave types. The weight of the graves varied between 0,1 to 3241 grams, with an average of 611 grams. The graveyard contained three adult females, three possible females, two indeterminate adults, one possible male, five adult males and six subadults. Fragmentation of the remains was high. Four individuals were found with no or marginal amounts of cranial fragments. In comparison to other graveyards within the MDS area, several graveyards match Panningen-Loo in multiple osteological and archaeological aspects. Panningen Stokx, Weert Laarveld and Weert Molenakkerdreef are all highly matching in most aspects. By carrying out this study, progress had been made in aiding the understanding of Iron Age graveyards and indicating the usefulness of a complete osteological analysis of cremated remains.Show less
The research in this thesis is part of an archaeological study about the excavation of the old graveyard around the St. Plechelmus Basilica in Oldenzaal, The Netherlands. Between 2011 and 2013,...Show moreThe research in this thesis is part of an archaeological study about the excavation of the old graveyard around the St. Plechelmus Basilica in Oldenzaal, The Netherlands. Between 2011 and 2013, 2750 individuals were exhumed from this graveyard, and two atypical mass graves were encountered. A selection of 200 skeletons divided over five matrices , including the individuals from the mass graves, has been studied with advanced scientific methods, including ancient DNA by Forensic Laboratory for DNA Research, Leiden University Medical Center. The meticulously conducted DNA research has resulted in generally very good quality DNA with no indications of contamination and with genetic profiles suitable for genetic kinship testing. Statistical analyses were carried out on the autosomal, Y-chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA data to test for kinship relationships, which resulted in indications of various genetic relationships. This thesis focuses on skeletons from matrix D, including one of the mass graves, consisting of 48 individuals. The DNA research demonstrates no genetic kinship for the six individuals in the mass grave. There were clear indications for kinship for five pairs of individuals from the non-mass grave area of matrix D. This thesis demonstrates the successful use of ancient DNA analyses for reconstructing kinship relationships in an archaeological context.Show less
This thesis compares stature, a non-specific indicator of health, with three other non-specific indicators of stress in a human skeletal population. The latter are enamel hypoplasia, cribra...Show moreThis thesis compares stature, a non-specific indicator of health, with three other non-specific indicators of stress in a human skeletal population. The latter are enamel hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia and Harris lines. The goal of this thesis is to improve the understanding of the relationship between stress markers and stature in order to evaluate the health of past populations in a better manner. The material used is from the rural Dutch town of Middenbeemster, from the post-Medieval time. Only young adults were selected, with an equal amount of females and males. The results show that this sample was stressed in childhood, shown by the high percentage of enamel hypoplasia. About a one sixth of the Middenbeemster sample had cribra orbitalia, which means these people had anemia. This was possibly caused by malnutrition, chronic blood loss, parasitic infection, or an increased pathogen load. No statistics could be run on enamel hypoplasia but statistics show that the presence of cribra orbitalia did not influence stature. Stature seemed to decrease in late young adults with Harris lines but this was due to a high amount of females in the Harris line group. Having Harris lines on top of enamel hypoplasia as an early young adult however, does seem to decrease stature. This suggests that Harris lines are markers of stress. There were no statistically significant correlations found between the stress markers, only some trends can be suggested. The sample of this thesis was small, thus repeating this research with a larger sample could make some results stronger.Show less
