Abstract
Analysis of individual skeletal remains can reveal much about that individual’s biocultural life history, while the context of the burial can reveal how the living dealt with the dead. When bioarchaeologists have access to larger collections of human remains that represent a group that is part of a culturally distinctive community, then a population-level analysis can be undertaken. Populations offer quantitative data that provides information on how well a group or society is adapting to local and regional conditions, how well they have adapted over time, and frequencies of disease or trauma in one group compared across regions. Examples are provided that illuminate different aspects of adaptation and resilience that can be explored at the population level.
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Martin, D.L., Harrod, R.P., Pérez, V.R. (2013). Bioarchaeology of Populations: Understanding Adaptation and Resilience. In: Bioarchaeology. Manuals in Archaeological Method, Theory and Technique. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6378-8_7
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