Paper short abstract:

The site is contextualised prior to discussing the demographic composition of the cemetery (n=246 burials), spatial patterning of the burials (e.g. orientation, deposition, field anthropology), and the apparent change in burial practices from the early phases through to final phase.

Paper long abstract:

Con Co Ngua is a water logged cemetery and midden site situated in a low lying valley, 3 km from the Ma River and some 30km from the current coastline in Thanh Hoa province, Northern Vietnam. With 100 burials recovered in 1979 in addition to a further 146 excavated in 2013, this represents one of the most significant hunter-gatherer cemeteries in SEAsia. In this presentation we discuss the context of this site as a prelude to some preliminary observations on the demographic composition of the cemetery, the spatial patterning of the burials, including orientation, and the deposition of the burials (with particular attention to the manner of internment using field anthropology approaches), and, finally, the apparent change in burial practices from the early phases through to final phase. We will also provide some tentative interpretations of these findings in the context of what is perhaps the oldest pre-Neolithic pottery using forager cemetery in Southeast Asia.

Paper short abstract:

This paper provides an osteobiography of a robust male with skeletal trauma from the Mid- Holocene site of Con co Ngua, Thanh Hoa Province, northern Vietnam.

Paper long abstract:

The Mid- Holocene site of Con co Ngua from the Thanh Hoa Province, northern Vietnam is a rare example of a high population density forager community containing human skeletal remains dated to between 3000-4000 BCE. Nearly 100 individuals were excavated from this site in 1979/80 and further excavation in 2013 yielded another 146 burials of generally good skeletal preservation. A sample of this size and from this context provides the opportunity to begin to address questions regarding the impact of a relatively high population density hunter-gather subsistence economy on the health of communities from this region.

Among the burials excavated in 2013 was a robust adult male (ID 2013CCNM117), with evidence of several long bone fractures in the upper and lower limbs. 2013CCNM117 also has pathological thickening of the cortices of all major right upper limb bones and femoral shafts suggestive of infectious or endocrine disease. Both multiple fractures and long bone cortical expansion were observed in other individuals from this site and higher levels of skeletal trauma have been reported from CCN compared to other SEAsian sites. This paper will consider this trauma pattern within the context of the subsistence strategy of the period and trauma in the wider geographical region of SEAsia. A full differential diagnosis of the cortical long bone expansion will be discussed and considered within the context of previous findings of low to absent infectious disease prevalence in this period that only increased with the intensification of agriculture in the subsequent Neolithic and Metal periods.

Paper short abstract:

The Iron Age, antecedent to the rise of the Angkorian civilization, is characterized by increasing socio-political complexity, greater regional interaction and evidence for conflict. We consider how this has affected the health and quality of life of Iron Age communities across the region.

Paper long abstract:

Over the last 15 years, our team has excavated human skeletal remains from four significant cemetery sites in northwest Cambodia, dating to the Iron Age (c. 350 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.). Phum Snay (350 B.C.E. - 200 C.E.) and Phum Sophy (100-600 C.E.) are further west of Angkor than Phum Lovea (130-350 C.E.) and Prei Khmeng (20-550 C.E.); the latter two sites being just west of the West Baray in the Angkorian complex. This time period, antecedent to the rise of the Angkorian civilization, is characterized by increasing socio-political complexity, greater regional interaction, and evidence for conflict. While the excavated sample size is small, it is possible to look more holistically at the bioarchaeological data across these sites to place them in their regional Southeast Asian context. These four sites have revealed at least 66 individuals, both adult and subadult, though there is an aberrant deficit of subadult burials which has implications for assessing demography. However, the samples provide insights into the health and wellbeing of these four communities and we will focus here on presenting information on dental health, pathology, including the significant differences in trauma experienced by these groups, and other health parameters. These data will also be compared with contemporaneous sites from other parts of Southeast Asia to assess the impact of the Iron Age on human health in this region.

Paper short abstract:

This paper assesses macroscopic evidence for health from two Iron Age samples from Luang Prabang Province in the context of the newly developed model of conceptualising health change in late prehistoric Southeast Asia.

Paper long abstract:

Recent bioarchaeological work in Southeast Asia has been important for developing a new regionally specific model of health change with the intensification of agriculture. This model is one of a rapid change in social structure and health deterioration in the latter part of the Iron Age, following a period of relative stasis in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Recent excavations at Luang Prabang Province, Laos PDR, as part of the Middle Mekong Archaeological Project provide us with the unique opportunity to assess this model in this region. This paper presents the macroscopic health data of 14 individuals from Phou Phaa Khao Rockshelter and Tham An Mah sites dated to the Iron Age, and interprets the results in the context of health data from other Mainland Southeast Asian sites. There was a high prevalence of infant and child death, growth disruption in the form of linear enamel hypoplasia, and non-specific bone pathology, but little evidence for oral disease. These findings fit with the developing Southeast Asian model that the Iron Age is characterised by deterioration in health with social and environmental changes occurring, but with a general retention of oral health due to the relatively low cariogenicity of rice and retention of broad-spectrum subsistence base. These findings are explored in the context of environmental information on settlement density, social organisation and subsistence specific to the middle Mekong Basin.

Paper short abstract:

The Koh Ta Meas necropolis (Bronze Age), representing the first inhabitants in the Angkor region, suggests a remarkable funeral tradition continuity. Characterized by an interesting antemortem tooth loss pattern, it is a relatively healthy group, similar to other skeletal samples of Southeast Asia.

Paper long abstract:

Koh Ta Meas, near Angkor, Cambodia, has revealed a partially excavated necropolis from the Bronze age (2870 BP +/- 60) comprising 27 burials. This site represents the earliest settlement known to date in the region of Angkor, demonstrating the existence of an early settlement, clearly older than the Angkorian period. The burial of some individuals wrapped in matting, the type of funeral artefacts and the presence of pig skulls, suggests sophisticated mortuary ritual, which evoke other sites excavated in Southeast Asia. It also suggests a remarkable continuity with the funeral tradition observed hundreds of years later in several Cambodian necropolises from the Iron Age.

The analysis of the remains, though poorly preserved, sheds light on the inhabitants in the Angkor region. The sample is characterized by short stature and gracile bones, but there was very little significant pathology, including linear enamel hypoplasia, dental caries, antemortem tooth loss, advanced attrition, infections and trauma. The presence of Schmorl's nodes indicates that the group likely experienced heavy mechanical demands on their lower backs as a result of activities most likely related to rice agriculture. The high prevalence of caries observed in females suggests differences in diet stemming from sexual divisions in the tasks of food procurement, but other factors may have been at stake. An interesting antemortem tooth loss pattern was identified in three women exhibiting intentional ablation of the upper lateral incisors and canines. Overall, the general pattern of health at Koh Ta Meas is similar to contemporaneous skeletal samples.

Paper short abstract:

This study uses a multi-period site, Non Mak La, from the Khao Wong Prachan Valley in central Thailand to explore the potential human biological responses with regard to the potential impacts of social and landscape changes during the Metal Age.

Paper long abstract:

The Metal Age of Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA) is a transitional period where social complexity, population structure, and craft and food production underwent marked changes. As a major copper ore source of MSEA in Lopburi, Thailand, the Khao Wong Prachan Valley supplied raw metallurgical material within and beyond the region and sustained prosperous local metallurgy. Intensified craft production, in part, may have contributed to the social complexity increase and landscape modification during the Metal Age. This study is part of a large project characterizing human biological responses to the external social and landscape changes over time in prehistoric central Thailand. Non Mak La is a multi-period occupation/mortuary site with two other metallurgically active sites nearby, all excavated by the Thailand Archaeometallurgy Project. The human burials are divided into Earlier (~late Neolithic) and Later groups (intermediate and the Metal Age) based on a preliminary chronology. Prevalence of dental pathologies representing childhood stress, dietary habits, and general hygiene of the Non Mak La people demonstrates an overall stable and low-impact pattern despite the fluctuation of non-biological parameters. The results are comparable to other contemporaneous central Thai sites and the larger MSEA context. It is posited that the potential impacts of social and landscape changes on human oral conditions and childhood well-being may have been transcended by the dietary inertia of utilizing the wide-spectrum and locally available foodstuffs.

Paper short abstract:

Analysis of Iron Age skeletons from Phromthin Tai in Central Thailand suggest cribra orbitalia and trauma frequencies are similar to those reported for some Northeastern sites in the same period, while frequencies of dental caries are significantly lower at Phromthin Tai.

Paper long abstract:

Recently reported regional analyses seem to suggest that there were important cultural and perhaps subsistence differences between Central and Northeastern Thailand, with no real evidence of substantial migration between the two regions. The primary relationship between the two areas may have been trade in salt from the Northeast, in exchange for copper, bronze ornaments, and exotic beads from Central Thailand. Our analysis of the 20 adult and seven juvenile skeletons excavated from the site of Phromthin Tai in Lopburi province, Central Thailand, suggests that health may not have been so different for individuals compared with Northeast Thailand. Frequencies of health indicators such as cribra orbitalia (17%) are statistically indistinguishable from those at late period Ban Chiang, for example, as are the proportion of individuals showing evidence of fractures. The types of trauma seen at Phromthin Tai (5 ribs, 1 clavicle, only 1 parietal) suggest primarily accidental or occupation-related trauma rather than interpersonal violence. The main difference seen between skeletons at Phromthin Tai and those described for Northeast Thailand is in occurrence of dental caries. The frequency of dental caries among adult teeth at Phromthin Tai is 0.6% (1 in 175 teeth) and is significantly lower than that reported for either Ban Chiang (5.2%) or Noen U-Loke (3.8%). This may indicate a difference in subsistence strategy between the two areas.

Paper short abstract:

Information from the excavations and studies of Thang Long citadel have provided the chance to study the health and origin of Viet people which has great significance not only in Vietnam but also in Southeast Asia.

Paper long abstract:

Excavations over the last 10 years at Thang Long citadel have provided information including archaeological relics, architectural structures, and hundreds of human skeletons dating to the 7th - 19th centuries. The burials are single, double or multiple interments representing 178 individuals (57 subadults and 121 adults). Both primary and secondary burials are present with grave goods including coins and pottery vessels. The Thang Long people suffered from a variety of conditions, for instance, enamel hypoplasia, periodontitis, caries and osteoarthritis. The highest mortality rate is among individuals aged 17-35 years. It is thought that these individuals represent the main labour force in the society and may have had to contend with economic hardship and the ravages of war during this period. The Thang Long people have Mongoloid cranial features such as a round skull, large upper facial index and shovel shaped incisors. They have a close affinity to the Dong Son people, and also closely resemble individuals from Indonesia and Lao in Southeast Asia.

Paper short abstract:

This paper will present the results of a systematic, bio-archaeological analysis of culturally modified archaeological human crania from the Philippines.

Paper long abstract:

Cranial modification is recognised and well documented from many regions in the world. However, whilst clearly identifiable in the archaeological material of the Philippines, the crania themselves have not been studied, in depth, from a bio-archaeological perspective. This paper will present the results of such a study. Archived in the University of San Carlos Museum (USC), Cebu, Philippines, are a number of human crania that display characteristics associated with a process of cultural modification. A new investigation, which included 3D scanning techniques, has revealed previously unrecorded features, such as those associated with pathological change and non-metric traits. From the results, it is evident there is much more to learn from the USC crania not only in terms of the effects of such a practice on cranial morphology, but also on the general health of these particular individuals. This information may then be used to compare and contrast directly with other past populations from around the world whose remains display evidence of this fascinating cultural practice.

Paper short abstract:

We assess the identification of migrants at prehistoric Ban Non Wat. Using isotopic analyses combined with morphological and non-metric traits we show links between unusual mortuary treatment and external origins, as well as likely long-term gene flow between migrant and local populations.

Paper long abstract:

Migration is widely acknowledged to be an important driver of social and economic change in prehistory. In Southeast Asia, for instance, it has been argued that both rice agriculture and bronze working reflect migration from, or at least contact with southern China. The potential significance of migrant individuals within sites, and implications they have for social development, means their identification is an important focus for bioarchaeological work. Geochemical techniques provide a clear means of identifying some migrant individuals, but are limited to only identifying 'first generation' migrants. Osteological techniques used in combination with isotopic results may allow new insight into morphological affinity of migrants as well as level of admixture with the population. This study uses a combination of isotopic, cranial morphometric and nonmetric results to assess the role of migrants at the site of Ban Non Wat. With an occupation period spanning from the Neolithic (ca. 1750BC) to the Iron Age (ca. 500AD) and over 650 burials excavated this site yields a unique opportunity to test hypotheses about social development. We find that most isotopically identified migrants do not have significantly different morphology or non-metric traits from the rest of the sample, perhaps indicating a level of continuous gene flow between their natal areas and Ban Non Wat. We also find that some individuals displaying unusual mortuary ritual are both isotopic and morphological outliers.

Paper short abstract:

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Paper long abstract:

Dental remains can provide considerable evidence for a variety of data and information for better understanding human population history and their socio-cultural phenonmenon in the past. The excavations at Nongrajawat, a Neolithic site in west-central Thailand, have yielded a number of human skeletons with poor preservation, but the existence of fairly good condition of dental remains can be included for this small research. The permanent teeth measurements in male and female adults in a total of 46 individuals from this prehistoric site have been completed based on standard measurement methods and equipment. Additional teeth of another two adults from Tam An Mah - a prehistoric site in highland northern Laos - are included for comparison together with another comparative dataset from previous published studies. The relevant data from the present study and the comparative series are analysed by standard statistical methods. The results of cluster analyses indicates the biological distance between the population from Nongrajawat and the comparative populations. This data also results in support, to some degree, of the human immigration model across Thailand, Southeast Asia, and the adjacent areas since the transitional period from pre-Neolithic to Neolithic periods onwards.

Paper short abstract:

The Leran burial site is located on the north coast of Java, which has an important role in ancient maritime routes. This paper explores the biological affinities of the Leran population using dental metric and non-metric traits in relationship with several surrounding archaeological samples.

Paper long abstract:

The Leran burial site is located in Rembang Regency, Central Java. Geographically, this site is located on the north coast of Java, which has a very important role in ancient maritime routes. This site was found by local people in 2012 as a result of coastal erosion. Until 2013, the Center for Archaeological Research of Yogyakarta has found at least 17 individuals. Based on its archaeological context, this site is dated back to at least the early Islamic period (XV century). This paper explores some the biological affinities of the people using dental metric and non-metric traits from Leran in relationship to several surrounding archaeological samples. Our findings can contribute to the understanding of how ancient maritime connections resulted in heterogeneity of their supporter community.

Keywords: biological affinities, maritime route, north coast of Java.