"Ancient
Hunter-Gatherers of Lake Baikal: Archaeological Investigations and Tales of a
Siberian Summer"
By
Brianna
Mack
(University
of Saskatchewan)
55
Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan
Brianna
Mack – A Biography
Brianna
Mack is currently a second year M.A. student at the University of Saskatchewan,
under the supervision of Dr. Angela R. Lieverse. Her research includes the study of human
remains and ancient disease. She spent
the summer of 2011 in Russia working on collecting data for her thesis. The goal of her Master’s research is to
reconstruct past activity patterns, overall health and physical activity levels
based on the severity of osteoarthritis found in Middle Holocene
hunter-gatherers from Siberia.
Abstract: “Ancient
Hunter-Gatherers of Lake Baikal: Archaeological Investigations and Tales of a
Siberian Summer”
The
study of human remains allows for the reconstruction of past lifeways and can
contribute to our understanding of human adaptation and
behavior, particularly over periods of cultural transition and environmental
change. The Cis-Baikal region of Siberia
offers a well-preserved suite of cemetery and habitation sites dating to the Middle
Holocene, a time of substantial diachronic change. Brianna’s research is part
of the interdisciplinary Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project (BHAP), which has
been conducting research on Middle Holocene hunter-gatherers for over a
decade. The work of BHAP scholars has
produced a wealth of information on the prehistory of Siberia and, recently,
novel scientific techniques have provided new insights into fascinating topics
such as ancient diet and migratory patterns.
These techniques, such as stable isotope analysis, also allow for the
reconstruction of individual life histories. Brianna’s thesis will focus on osteoarthritis
from 3 cemetery populations from the Cis-Baikal region of Siberia and will
build upon much of the previous work of BHAP scholars. This research will contribute not only to the
understanding of the adaptive strategies employed by ancient Siberians, but
also those undertaken by other northern hunter-gatherer populations.