A Comparative Analysis of Paleopathology and Mortuary Practices at West Site (31CK22), Currituck County, NC

Abstract

Previous research on Late Woodland North Carolina has explored how transitions such as agricultural intensification or the arrival of European settlers have impacted the biology of coastal populations. This thesis details the health and disease of the recently excavated burials at the West site in Currituck, NC, as a means of further understanding biological adaptation in this microenvironment. The study employs biological data and material culture to examine various hypotheses for utilizing primary vs. secondary burials at Currituck and at other sites with similarly multifaceted burial records. It further investigates patterning at the intra- and inter-site level - in terms of health, demographic variables (age, sex), location, and other aspects of mortuary treatment (e.g., grave goods) as a means of reconstructing the range of bio-social identities at these sites.