Sam Kobari Guest Lecture

who is he?

bioarchaeologist at SDSU

what is bioarcheology

study of past cultures through analysis of human osteological and mortuary practices

• past human cultures by looking at remains

what was his project and research question

Chumash indigenous people

• did the complexity of the Chumash come about because of drought/scarcity or resource abundance?

• findings:

chumash technology and economy

Tomol—> plank canoe

• brotherhood of the canoe, elite status

economy—> shell-bead currency

• olivella shells, colorful

• value decreased as color faded

skeletal markers and indications found in his research

• porotic hyperostosis and criba orbitalia

  • anemia

• spina bifida

  • folic acid deficiency

• dental attrition

  • ate shellsifh with sand

  • cavities: roots and tubers

  • antemortem tooth loss

indications: - signs of chronic poor health

• nutritional deficiency

• signs of scarcity

  • predated the drought and was longer

Chumash

• hunter and gatherers with cultural complexity only found after agriculture

• large population