Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
open access
This research makes an attempt at introducing paleodemography on a large scale in the Caribbean. Firstly the history of the discipline will be outlined, focusing on the development from historical...Show moreThis research makes an attempt at introducing paleodemography on a large scale in the Caribbean. Firstly the history of the discipline will be outlined, focusing on the development from historical demography to demography where physical anthropology is central to the analyses made. Attention will be paid to major advancements, pitfalls and solutions which have been developed through the years. Lastly the development of paleodemography in the Caribbean will be described, giving special attention to the work of the author and others. Secondly the methods and techniques associated with this study will be explained. The methodology uses the Bradford ageing categories which by the usage of categories rather than precise ages allows for a lower number of misclassifications. Using this system also facilitates for data from other investigations to be easily incorporated in this research. The usage of the life table will also be explained, where the different categories and calculations necessary to determine those categories will be introduced. Following this it will be determined which different populations have different population profiles. These different profiles, amongst others, are migratory, standard and catastrophic. The implications these profiles have for the interpretation of the sites will also be determined. The 15 sites which are central to this investigation are selected on the basis of their representation of the Pre-Columbian Ceramic period, the size of their cemeteries (since small population can cause statistical fluctuations) and/or their specific function. Lastly a new standard population for comparative purposes will be introduced which is based on ethnographic data from the Warao who nowadays inhibit the Orinoco Delta in South America. The next chapter introduces the 15 sites based on their geographic location, time period and the characteristics of their graveyards. Where possible the proportions within the graveyard assemblage between males and females, and Adults and Non-Adults will be reviewed. It will also be indicated how well preserved and complete the skeletons are, all of which can have influence on the conclusions which will be drawn later on. After the introduction of these sites the results are presented, indicating that three sites have a catastrophic demographic profile (El Chorro de Maita, Juan Dolio en Anse à la Gourde), three have a normal demographic profile (Maisabel, Kelbey’s Ridge en Pointe de Caille), one is a failed colonization attempt (Punta Candalero) and the other sites are characterized by incomplete analyses. The sites which have been incompletely analyzed appear to have a common pattern in which the mortality rates of the older age categories is higher than expected. An explanation for this pattern can however not be found. Form the 90 analyses it is apparent that the demography of the pre-Columbian Caribbean can be characterized as being very divers, without a general regional image. Furthermore it becomes clear that the standard population derived from the Warao is an alternative to the standard European models which works well in this context. The methodology worked and it is therefore possible to use this methodology in future researchers to allow for these researches to be placed in a broader context of demographic research.Show less
