M A Pilloud
Biographic Data
| ID | 51920 |
|---|---|
| NAME | M A Pilloud |
| GIVEN NAMES | M A |
| FAMILY NAME | Pilloud |
| SIGNATURE | PILLOUD M A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Nevada, Reno |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1704-3707 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 40 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 176 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 40 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2011 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 8 |
Dietary habits and subsistence practices at Early Bronze age Karataş-Semayük, southwest Anatolia
Demographic history of early centralized societies: A biodistance study on prehistoric Anatolia
Dental Anthropology and Its Role in Forensic Anthropology
Dental anthropology is a subdiscipline of biological anthropology that is concerned with the nonclinical study of teeth. As such, the discipline is distinct from that of forensic odontology, yet still of relevance within forensic anthropology and a medicolegal context. This review of dental anthropology differentiates it as a distinct field of study and highlights its role within medicolegal death investigations, particularly the role of the dent…
Reassessment of Assessing Race: Ancestry” Estimation and Its Implications for Forensic Anthropology and Beyond
The articles in this special issue grew from a symposium at the 2020 American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Scientific meeting, with the same title as this introduction. The symposium focused on current research and practice of ancestry estimation in forensic anthropology. The symposium concluded with a discussion of the value (or lack thereof) of ancestry estimation as a standard component of the forensic anthropological biological profile…
A conversation on redefining ethical considerations in forensic anthropology
Barriers to entry and success in forensic anthropology
The importance of professional organizations as disciplinary leaders and the need for meaningful ethical codes in anthropology
Perceptions of Race and Ancestry in Teaching, Research, and Public Engagement in Biological Anthropology
The concept of race has a complex history in the field of biological anthropology. Despite increased recognition of the racist origins of the discipline, there remains little agreement about what the concept means, how it is used, or how it is discussed. This study presents the results of a survey of biological anthropologists to investigate the relationship of biological anthropologists with race and ancestry. The survey focuses on the areas of …
Perceptions of Race and Ancestry in Teaching, Research, and Public Engagement in Biological Anthropology
The concept of race has a complex history in the field of biological anthropology. Despite increased recognition of the racist origins of the discipline, there remains little agreement about what the concept means, how it is used, or how it is discussed. This study presents the results of a survey of biological anthropologists to investigate the relationship of biological anthropologists with race and ancestry. The survey focuses on the areas of …
A comparison of subadult skeletal and dental development based on living and deceased samples
OBJECTIVES: A fundamental assumption in biological anthropology is that living individuals will present with different growth than non-survivors of the same population. The aim is to address the question of whether growth and development data of non-survivors are reflective of the biological consequences of selective mortality and/or stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study compares dental development and skeletal growth collected from radiograph…
The need to incorporate human variation and evolutionary theory in forensic anthropology: A call for reform
In 1992, Norm Sauer called for a language shift in which practitioners would move away from the socially loaded term “race” and replace it with the less provocative term “ancestry.” While many heeded the call and moved towards ancestry in their research and reports, the actual approach to research and analysis did not change. In response to this change, there was a large growth in ancestry estimation method development in the early decade of the …
Terminology Used to Describe Human Variation in Forensic Anthropology
To understand the implications of the forensic anthropological practice of “ancestry” estimation, we explore terminology that has been employed in forensic anthropological research. The goal is to evaluate how such terms can often circulate within social contexts as a result, which may center forensic anthropologists as constituting “race” itself through analysis and categorization. This research evaluates terminology used in anthropological arti…
The (Mis)appropriation of Biological Anthropology in Race Science and the Implications for Forensic Anthropology
Most biological anthropologists acknowledge that phenotypic human variation is distinct from human race. However, there is the potential for the research on human variation to be (mis)interpreted by the public as a reification of biological races. To explore this possible misuse, this study is a content analysis of articles (n = 1146) in the prominent race science journals Mankind Quarterly; The Journal of Social, Political, and Economic Studies;…
The Value of Forensic Anthropology in Undergraduate Anthropology Programs
Anecdotally, it has been suggested that undergraduate anthropology students are more interested in forensic anthropology than any other specialty but that forensic anthropologists are less desired as colleagues in academia due to the nature of their work. The goal of this project was to examine two related questions: Does having a forensic anthropologist, or an undergraduate concentration in forensic anthropology, increase the number of majors in…
Re-evaluating traditional markers of stress in an archaeological sample from central California
A Dental Metric Study of Medieval, Post Medieval, and Modern Basque Populations from Northern Spain
Basque population history has been examined through classic genetic markers, mtDNA, Y chromosome haplogroups, craniometrics, and recently dental morphology. Dental morphological data show Basques have a classic European dental pattern but fall as an outlier among European populations. Expanding on that work, Basque tooth size was examined to further evaluate the affinities of the Basque population. Mesiodistal and buccolingual maximum crown measu…
Salaries in Forensic Anthropology and Academic Anthropology
This project examined the salaries of forensic anthropologists in the United States. Additionally, the salaries of forensic anthropologists employed in academia were compared to those of other academic anthropologists. The goal of this project was to develop baseline data in terms of salaries for forensic anthropologists while also examining various factors that may affect forensic anthropology salaries. Salary information is important because sa…
Education and Training in Forensic Anthropology
The qualifications for a discipline are composed of the education and/or training requirements considered necessary to provide individuals with adequate knowledge to perform discipline-related tasks, including certification or licensing (Passalacqua & Pilloud 2018). Currently there are few available guidelines and no standards for the qualifications of a forensic anthropologist. To examine the qualifications of current practicing forensic anthrop…
Why Are There So Many Women in Forensic Anthropology: An Evaluation of Gendered Experiences in Forensic Anthropology
There is broad discussion of the higher numbers of women in the forensic sciences, particularly when compared to other science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. In this discussion, we focus on forensic anthropology. We begin with an historical overview of the role of women in the discipline; data are then provided that outline the numbers of women scholars and practitioners over time. We then explore the different roles of men and…
Thermal Alterations to Human Remains in Çatalhöyük
Directly burned human skeletal remains from archaeological contexts are often found in the literature, while cases of indirectly burned remains are rare. This case study examines thermally altered human skeletal remains recovered from the Neolithic East Mound of Çatalhöyük, Turkey (7100–5950 cal BCE). Individuals in this society were commonly buried beneath the floors and platforms of house structures, some of which appear to have been intentiona…
Sex Estimation from Dental Crown and Cervical Metrics in a Contemporary Japanese Sample
Few sex estimation methods have been developed for East Asian populations in forensic anthropology. Furthermore, odontometric techniques, particularly including cervical measurements, are underutilized by forensic anthropologists in the construction of the biological profile. This research evaluates the use of logistic regression and linear discriminant function analysis with standard crown and cervical measurements of the dentition for the estim…
Dental Morphological Variation in Asian and Asian-Derived Populations
The use of dental morphology to estimate ancestry has become more prevalent within forensic anthropology, and several new methods have been published (e.g., Edgar 2005, 2013; Irish 2015; Scott et al. 2018). While these methods represent great advances, they are lacking in modern Asian reference samples. As such, they may be unable to adequately differentiate Asian individuals from those who express similar dental morphology (i.e., Hispanics and N…
Outlining a Definition of Oral Health within the Study of Human Skeletal Remains: Defining Oral Health
The term oral health is regularly used in bioarchaeological research to discuss a myriad of pathological conditions of the oral cavity. However, there is very little consensus on what conditions should be included in such a study, and some of the conditions are at odds with those in the clinical literature. In this manuscript, we outline the clinical definition of oral health and develop a strategy in which bioarchaeology can address this type of…
Molar crenulation trait definition and variation in modern human populations
Looking Backward and Thinking Forward
Official” and “practical” kin: Inferring social and community structure from dental phenotype at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey
The Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük, Turkey (7400–5600 cal BC) is widely acknowledged for its role in the study of early farming communities. To better understand the social and community structure of this setting, an intracemetery biological distance analysis was conducted. Metric and nonmetric observations were recorded in both deciduous and permanent dentitions ( n = 266) to explore phenotypic patterning of individuals interred within individual …
Bioarchaeology of Neolithic Çatalhöyük: Lives and Lifestyles of an Early Farming Society in Transition
Barriers to entry and success in forensic anthropology
The need to incorporate human variation and evolutionary theory in forensic anthropology: A call for reform
In 1992, Norm Sauer called for a language shift in which practitioners would move away from the socially loaded term “race” and replace it with the less provocative term “ancestry.” While many heeded the call and moved towards ancestry in their research and reports, the actual approach to research and analysis did not change. In response to this change, there was a large growth in ancestry estimation method development in the early decade of the …
Rasudas: A New Web-Based Application for Estimating Ancestry from Tooth Morphology
The use of crown and root morphology to estimate population relationships has a long history in dental anthropology. Over the past two decades, methods employing dental morphology within forensic anthropology have been formalized with the incorporation of statistical models. This paper presents a new web-based application (rASUDAS) that estimates the ancestry of unknown individuals based on their suite of tooth crown and root traits. The applicat…
A conversation on redefining ethical considerations in forensic anthropology
The importance of professional organizations as disciplinary leaders and the need for meaningful ethical codes in anthropology
Education and Training in Forensic Anthropology
The qualifications for a discipline are composed of the education and/or training requirements considered necessary to provide individuals with adequate knowledge to perform discipline-related tasks, including certification or licensing (Passalacqua & Pilloud 2018). Currently there are few available guidelines and no standards for the qualifications of a forensic anthropologist. To examine the qualifications of current practicing forensic anthrop…
The Value of Forensic Anthropology in Undergraduate Anthropology Programs
Anecdotally, it has been suggested that undergraduate anthropology students are more interested in forensic anthropology than any other specialty but that forensic anthropologists are less desired as colleagues in academia due to the nature of their work. The goal of this project was to examine two related questions: Does having a forensic anthropologist, or an undergraduate concentration in forensic anthropology, increase the number of majors in…
Re-evaluating traditional markers of stress in an archaeological sample from central California
Reconstructing Lifeways in Ancient California: Stable Isotope Evidence of Foraging Behavior, Life History Strategies, and Kinship Patterns
This volume is the 18th publication by the Center for Archaeological Research at Davis (or CARD), which has been publishing archaeological research focused on California and the Great Basin since 1
A bioarchaeological and forensic re-assessment of vulture defleshing and mortuary practices at Neolithic Çatalhöyük
A comparison of subadult skeletal and dental development based on living and deceased samples
OBJECTIVES: A fundamental assumption in biological anthropology is that living individuals will present with different growth than non-survivors of the same population. The aim is to address the question of whether growth and development data of non-survivors are reflective of the biological consequences of selective mortality and/or stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study compares dental development and skeletal growth collected from radiograph…
Outlining a Definition of Oral Health within the Study of Human Skeletal Remains: Defining Oral Health
The term oral health is regularly used in bioarchaeological research to discuss a myriad of pathological conditions of the oral cavity. However, there is very little consensus on what conditions should be included in such a study, and some of the conditions are at odds with those in the clinical literature. In this manuscript, we outline the clinical definition of oral health and develop a strategy in which bioarchaeology can address this type of…
Salaries in Forensic Anthropology and Academic Anthropology
This project examined the salaries of forensic anthropologists in the United States. Additionally, the salaries of forensic anthropologists employed in academia were compared to those of other academic anthropologists. The goal of this project was to develop baseline data in terms of salaries for forensic anthropologists while also examining various factors that may affect forensic anthropology salaries. Salary information is important because sa…
Brief communication: The use of alternative dental measurements on deciduous teeth
The present study investigates the utility of cervical measurements in deciduous teeth and how they correlate with traditional measurements of the crown. First, this study establishes definitions by which these measurements could reliably be taken. Next, deciduous cervical and traditional crown diameters were taken on three distinct skeletal samples: a Neolithic assemblage from Central Anatolia (Çatalhöyük, n = 85), a precontact sample from North…
Terminology Used to Describe Human Variation in Forensic Anthropology
To understand the implications of the forensic anthropological practice of “ancestry” estimation, we explore terminology that has been employed in forensic anthropological research. The goal is to evaluate how such terms can often circulate within social contexts as a result, which may center forensic anthropologists as constituting “race” itself through analysis and categorization. This research evaluates terminology used in anthropological arti…
The (Mis)appropriation of Biological Anthropology in Race Science and the Implications for Forensic Anthropology
Most biological anthropologists acknowledge that phenotypic human variation is distinct from human race. However, there is the potential for the research on human variation to be (mis)interpreted by the public as a reification of biological races. To explore this possible misuse, this study is a content analysis of articles (n = 1146) in the prominent race science journals Mankind Quarterly; The Journal of Social, Political, and Economic Studies;…
Dental Morphological Variation in Asian and Asian-Derived Populations
The use of dental morphology to estimate ancestry has become more prevalent within forensic anthropology, and several new methods have been published (e.g., Edgar 2005, 2013; Irish 2015; Scott et al. 2018). While these methods represent great advances, they are lacking in modern Asian reference samples. As such, they may be unable to adequately differentiate Asian individuals from those who express similar dental morphology (i.e., Hispanics and N…
Technical Note: The Definition of New Dental Morphological Variants Related to Malocclusion
Since the codification of the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System over 25 years ago, few additional morphological traits have been defined. This work serves to expand the current suite of traits currently collected by biological anthropologists. These traits surround various issues of malocclusion and follow clinical definitions of these traits as well as incorporate observed population variation in character states. These traits …
Using Fordisc software to assign obsidian artifacts to geological sources: Proof of concept
A Dental Metric Study of Medieval, Post Medieval, and Modern Basque Populations from Northern Spain
Basque population history has been examined through classic genetic markers, mtDNA, Y chromosome haplogroups, craniometrics, and recently dental morphology. Dental morphological data show Basques have a classic European dental pattern but fall as an outlier among European populations. Expanding on that work, Basque tooth size was examined to further evaluate the affinities of the Basque population. Mesiodistal and buccolingual maximum crown measu…
Why Are There So Many Women in Forensic Anthropology: An Evaluation of Gendered Experiences in Forensic Anthropology
There is broad discussion of the higher numbers of women in the forensic sciences, particularly when compared to other science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. In this discussion, we focus on forensic anthropology. We begin with an historical overview of the role of women in the discipline; data are then provided that outline the numbers of women scholars and practitioners over time. We then explore the different roles of men and…
Sex Estimation from Dental Crown and Cervical Metrics in a Contemporary Japanese Sample
Few sex estimation methods have been developed for East Asian populations in forensic anthropology. Furthermore, odontometric techniques, particularly including cervical measurements, are underutilized by forensic anthropologists in the construction of the biological profile. This research evaluates the use of logistic regression and linear discriminant function analysis with standard crown and cervical measurements of the dentition for the estim…
The Occurrence and Possible Aetiology of Spondylolysis in a Pre-contact California Population
The occurrence of spondylolysis (neural arch separation at the pars interarticularis) is reported in a pre-contact (720-550 Cal BP) Central California population, CA-CCo-647 (n = 46). Spondylolysis was examined within this population to assess differences in sex, age, and possible relationships with biological affinity. Furthermore, prevalence rates of spondylolysis were compared across various populations to discern the aetiology of the defect. …
Official” and “practical” kin: Inferring social and community structure from dental phenotype at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey
The Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük, Turkey (7400–5600 cal BC) is widely acknowledged for its role in the study of early farming communities. To better understand the social and community structure of this setting, an intracemetery biological distance analysis was conducted. Metric and nonmetric observations were recorded in both deciduous and permanent dentitions ( n = 266) to explore phenotypic patterning of individuals interred within individual …
Brief communication: The use of alternative dental measurements on deciduous teeth
The present study investigates the utility of cervical measurements in deciduous teeth and how they correlate with traditional measurements of the crown. First, this study establishes definitions by which these measurements could reliably be taken. Next, deciduous cervical and traditional crown diameters were taken on three distinct skeletal samples: a Neolithic assemblage from Central Anatolia (Çatalhöyük, n = 85), a precontact sample from North…
Violence among foragers: The bioarchaeological record from central California
The Occurrence and Possible Aetiology of Spondylolysis in a Pre-contact California Population
The occurrence of spondylolysis (neural arch separation at the pars interarticularis) is reported in a pre-contact (720-550 Cal BP) Central California population, CA-CCo-647 (n = 46). Spondylolysis was examined within this population to assess differences in sex, age, and possible relationships with biological affinity. Furthermore, prevalence rates of spondylolysis were compared across various populations to discern the aetiology of the defect. …
Bioarchaeology of Neolithic Çatalhöyük: Lives and Lifestyles of an Early Farming Society in Transition
Archaic Violence in Western North America: The Bioarchaeological Record of Dismemberment, Human Bone Artifacts, and Trophy Skulls from Central California
The Bioarchaeological Record of Craniofacial Trauma in Central California
Based on ethnographic accounts and archaeological research, warfare among the indigenous populations of California was neither rare nor infrequent, and a great deal of research has been done on this topic for Southern California, primarily by Lambert and Walker. As research of warfare and violent behavior in prehistoric populations has grown, studies in California have also expanded to include the northern and central parts of the state. The semi…
A bioarchaeological and forensic re-assessment of vulture defleshing and mortuary practices at Neolithic Çatalhöyük
Northern exposure: Mandibular torus in the Greenlandic Norse and the whole wide world
OBJECTIVES: In the first issue of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, E.A. Hooton noted the expression of Eskimoid characteristics in the Icelandic skull, one of which was mandibular torus. Our goal is to evaluate this trait in another North Atlantic population, the Greenlandic Norse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An investigation of mandibular torus was carried out on all Greenlandic Norse skeletons disinterred up to 1986 (n = 109), along wi…
Using Fordisc software to assign obsidian artifacts to geological sources: Proof of concept
Reconstructing Lifeways in Ancient California: Stable Isotope Evidence of Foraging Behavior, Life History Strategies, and Kinship Patterns
This volume is the 18th publication by the Center for Archaeological Research at Davis (or CARD), which has been publishing archaeological research focused on California and the Great Basin since 1
Molar crenulation trait definition and variation in modern human populations
Looking Backward and Thinking Forward
Reporting and Testifying in Forensic Anthropology
Sinodonty, Sundadonty, and the Beringian Standstill model: Issues of timing and migrations into the New World
Technical Note: The Definition of New Dental Morphological Variants Related to Malocclusion
Since the codification of the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System over 25 years ago, few additional morphological traits have been defined. This work serves to expand the current suite of traits currently collected by biological anthropologists. These traits surround various issues of malocclusion and follow clinical definitions of these traits as well as incorporate observed population variation in character states. These traits …
Rasudas: A New Web-Based Application for Estimating Ancestry from Tooth Morphology
The use of crown and root morphology to estimate population relationships has a long history in dental anthropology. Over the past two decades, methods employing dental morphology within forensic anthropology have been formalized with the incorporation of statistical models. This paper presents a new web-based application (rASUDAS) that estimates the ancestry of unknown individuals based on their suite of tooth crown and root traits. The applicat…
Sex Estimation from Dental Crown and Cervical Metrics in a Contemporary Japanese Sample
Few sex estimation methods have been developed for East Asian populations in forensic anthropology. Furthermore, odontometric techniques, particularly including cervical measurements, are underutilized by forensic anthropologists in the construction of the biological profile. This research evaluates the use of logistic regression and linear discriminant function analysis with standard crown and cervical measurements of the dentition for the estim…
Dental Morphological Variation in Asian and Asian-Derived Populations
The use of dental morphology to estimate ancestry has become more prevalent within forensic anthropology, and several new methods have been published (e.g., Edgar 2005, 2013; Irish 2015; Scott et al. 2018). While these methods represent great advances, they are lacking in modern Asian reference samples. As such, they may be unable to adequately differentiate Asian individuals from those who express similar dental morphology (i.e., Hispanics and N…
Outlining a Definition of Oral Health within the Study of Human Skeletal Remains: Defining Oral Health
The term oral health is regularly used in bioarchaeological research to discuss a myriad of pathological conditions of the oral cavity. However, there is very little consensus on what conditions should be included in such a study, and some of the conditions are at odds with those in the clinical literature. In this manuscript, we outline the clinical definition of oral health and develop a strategy in which bioarchaeology can address this type of…
Re-evaluating traditional markers of stress in an archaeological sample from central California
A Dental Metric Study of Medieval, Post Medieval, and Modern Basque Populations from Northern Spain
Basque population history has been examined through classic genetic markers, mtDNA, Y chromosome haplogroups, craniometrics, and recently dental morphology. Dental morphological data show Basques have a classic European dental pattern but fall as an outlier among European populations. Expanding on that work, Basque tooth size was examined to further evaluate the affinities of the Basque population. Mesiodistal and buccolingual maximum crown measu…
Salaries in Forensic Anthropology and Academic Anthropology
This project examined the salaries of forensic anthropologists in the United States. Additionally, the salaries of forensic anthropologists employed in academia were compared to those of other academic anthropologists. The goal of this project was to develop baseline data in terms of salaries for forensic anthropologists while also examining various factors that may affect forensic anthropology salaries. Salary information is important because sa…
Education and Training in Forensic Anthropology
The qualifications for a discipline are composed of the education and/or training requirements considered necessary to provide individuals with adequate knowledge to perform discipline-related tasks, including certification or licensing (Passalacqua & Pilloud 2018). Currently there are few available guidelines and no standards for the qualifications of a forensic anthropologist. To examine the qualifications of current practicing forensic anthrop…
Why Are There So Many Women in Forensic Anthropology: An Evaluation of Gendered Experiences in Forensic Anthropology
There is broad discussion of the higher numbers of women in the forensic sciences, particularly when compared to other science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. In this discussion, we focus on forensic anthropology. We begin with an historical overview of the role of women in the discipline; data are then provided that outline the numbers of women scholars and practitioners over time. We then explore the different roles of men and…
Sociology (26 works) · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies (24 works) · Geography (17 works) · Anthropology (15 works) · Archaeology (15 works) · History (15 works) · Demography (14 works) · Forensic and Genetic Research (13 works) · Medicine (13 works) · Population (13 works)