Ancestry, health, and lived experiences of enslaved Africans in 18th century Charleston: An osteobiographical analysis
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- Raquel E. Fleskes
- Department of Anthropology University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
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- Ade A. Ofunniyin
- The Gullah Society, Inc. Mount Pleasant South Carolina USA
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- Joanna K. Gilmore
- The Gullah Society, Inc. Mount Pleasant South Carolina USA
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- Eric Poplin
- Brockington and Associates, Inc. Mount Pleasant South Carolina USA
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- Suzanne M. Abel
- Charleston County Coroner's Office North Charleston South Carolina USA
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- Wolf D. Bueschgen
- Charleston County Coroner's Office North Charleston South Carolina USA
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- Chelsey Juarez
- Department of Anthropology California State University Fresno California USA
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- Nic Butler
- Charleston County Public Library Charleston South Carolina USA
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- Grant Mishoe
- The Gullah Society, Inc. Mount Pleasant South Carolina USA
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- La'Sheia Oubré
- The Gullah Society, Inc. Mount Pleasant South Carolina USA
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- Graciela S. Cabana
- Department of Anthropology University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee USA
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- Theodore G. Schurr
- Department of Anthropology University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
抄録
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Objectives</jats:title><jats:p>In 2013, the burials of 36 individuals of putative African ancestry were discovered during renovation of the Gaillard Center in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. The Charleston community facilitated a bioarchaeological and mitogenomic study to gain insights into the lives of these unknown persons, referred to as the Anson Street Ancestors, including their ancestry, health, and lived experiences in the 18th century.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>Metric and morphological assessments of skeletal and dental characteristics were recorded, and enamel and cortical bone strontium stable isotope values generated. Whole mitochondrial genomes were sequenced and analyzed.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>Osteological analysis identified adults, both females and males, and subadults at the site, and estimated African ancestry for most individuals. Skeletal trauma and pathology were infrequent, but many individuals exhibited dental decay and abscesses. Strontium isotope data suggested these individuals mostly originated in Charleston or sub‐Saharan Africa, with many being long‐term residents of Charleston. Nearly all had mitochondrial lineages belonging to African haplogroups (L0‐L3, H1cb1a), with two individuals sharing the same L3e2a haplotype, while one had a Native American A2 mtDNA.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion</jats:title><jats:p>This study generated detailed osteobiographies of the Anson Street Ancestors, who were likely of enslaved status. Our results indicate that the Ancestors have diverse maternal African ancestries and are largely unrelated, with most being born locally. These details reveal the demographic impact of the trans‐Atlantic slave trade. Our analysis further illuminates the lived experiences of individuals buried at Anson Street, and expands our understanding of 18th century African history in Charleston.</jats:p></jats:sec>
収録刊行物
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- American Journal of Physical Anthropology
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American Journal of Physical Anthropology 175 (1), 3-24, 2020-10-06
Wiley