Date of Award
2007
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program
Anthropology
Supervisor
Andrew Nelson
Abstract
his thesis tests the hypothesis that the populations in northern Chile were more adversely affected than other populations in the Andean cordillera by the arsenic in the region. A paleopathological and growth and development study was undertaken to test this hypothesis. The skeletal sample represented by 199 skeletons from the Chinchorro, Quiani, Faldas del Morro, Gentilar, and Inca periods. Arsenic related congenital pathological lesions included cleft palate and lip, polydactylism, syndactylism, clubfoot, spina bifida, eye malformation, hip joint displacement, and skin malformations. The growth and development part of this study compared long bone lengths of the sampled populations to populations in the United States (the Arikara) and Peru (from the El Brujo and Puruchuco sites). Intermembral indices were also calculated. The analysis yielded results which did not support the hypothesis, showing that arsenic was not affecting these populations any more so than in other populations.
Recommended Citation
Bostonnn, Christine Elisabeth and Boston, Christine Elisabeth, "Growth and Development and Paleopathological Analysis of Ancient Northern Chilean Populations as Related to Possible Arsenic Poisoning" (2007). Digitized Theses. 5142.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/5142