Bioarchaeological Approaches to Activity Reconstruction

Abstract

How can activity reconstruction address day-to-day life in the past? What are its strengths? What are its drawbacks? One of the ways in which everyday action can be examined in the past is through the osteological examination of activity. There are several methods, including muscle attachment site and osteoarthritis analyses, which have the potential to speak to broad levels of physical activity. In this chapter, I discuss the osteological characteristics, etiology, previous bioarchaeological research, and ongoing bioarchaeological debates for both osteoarthritis and entheseal changes. Throughout the chapter I discuss how these data can illuminate everyday activities of the ancient past. It is important to note that these methods are not without drawbacks—several contributing factors, most notably of which is age, as well as an unclear progression of the conditions limit bioarchaeological interpretations of activity in the past. However, using statistical controls and robust samples sizes, bioarchaeologists can begin to overcome some of these obstacles. I also provide a case study of entheseal changes and osteoarthritis from the ancient Kerma culture (Nubia, 2500–1500 BCE). Here I compare entheseal changes and osteoarthritis for individuals of differing socioeconomic groups and conclude that this social category had a meaningful impact on the everyday lives of these individuals and these experiences were embodied by the people of Kerma.