This book represents an important shift in the interpretation of skeletal remains in the Americas. Until recently, bioarchaeology has focused on interpreting and analyzing populations. The chapters here examine how individuals fit into those larger populations. The overall aim is to demonstrate how bioarchaeologists can uniquely contribute to our understanding of the formation, representation, and repercussions of identity. The book combines historical and archaeological data with population-genetic analyses, biogeochemical analyses of human tooth enamel and bones, mortuary patterns, and body ... More

This book represents an important shift in the interpretation of skeletal remains in the Americas. Until recently, bioarchaeology has focused on interpreting and analyzing populations. The chapters here examine how individuals fit into those larger populations. The overall aim is to demonstrate how bioarchaeologists can uniquely contribute to our understanding of the formation, representation, and repercussions of identity. The book combines historical and archaeological data with population-genetic analyses, biogeochemical analyses of human tooth enamel and bones, mortuary patterns, and body modifications. Case studies drawn from North, Central, and South American mortuary remains from AD 500 to the Colonial period examine a wide range of factors that make up identity, including ethnicity, age, gender, and social, political, and religious constructions. By adding a valuable biological element to the study of culture—a topic traditionally associated with social theorists, ethnographers, and historical archaeologies—the book aims to highlight the importance of skeletal evidence in helping us better understand our past.