Human Osteology

Most of this volume focuses on the historical, ethnographic, and archaeological evidence for Blood Run. The current analysis offers a broader biological picture of the individuals living at Blood Run. Although reports of burials recovered at Blood Run extend back into the late 1800s (see Chapter 4, this volume), little has been published about the osteology of Blood Run human remains. Craniometrics from the State Historical Society of Iowa (SHSI) Keyes Collection were included in the "Orr Focus Females" sample in Glenn's (1974) study, while Key (1983) used craniometries from two individuals recovered by the 1964 University of Wisconsin excavations as the "Ioway" sample in his study. In addition to craniometric comparisons related to occupants of the site, questions of overall health-possible environmental stress, pathological conditions, and trauma-and burial patterns will be addressed in this chapter. A total of 32 individuals from four collections-the SHSI Keyes Collection, the University of Wisconsin 1964 excavation, the 1985-1986 investigations discussed in this volume, and 1989 surface finds-were available to the author for examination and included in the following osteological summary. While these remains were collected at different times, it is believed they were all contemporary with the late prehistoric/early historic Oneota occupation of Blood Run. Where possible, assessments of the human remai~s we~e made in accordance with standards outhned In Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994). Each element was examined for pathological conditions or evidence of trauma. Detailed osteological analyses are available in Schermer (1987a, 1987b, and 2004). All but eight of the Blood Run individuals were represented by very limited remains, a few by a single tooth or bone fragment (Table 9.1). While the small sample size of the skeletal remains