Preliminary investigations of the Chelechol ra Orrak Cemetery, Republic of Palau

I, skeletal biology and paleopathology

Bibliographic Data

ID6135947
AuthorsGreg C Nelson (University of Oregon), M Fitzpatrick (0000-0002-7392-6061, North Carolina State University)
Year2006
Volume114
Issue1
Pages1-12
Publication date2006-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAnthropological Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0918-7960 • E-ISSN: 1348-8570
PublisherAnthropological Society of Nippon (PUBLISHER • JP)
DOI10.1537/ase.040710
OpenAlexW2065557421
LanguageEN
Citations received16
References cited31

The Pacific Islands were the last major geographic region settled by humans. The physical remains of these settlers, who probably arrived within the last 4500 years, are rare. At the Chelechol ra Orrak site in the Palau archipelago of Micronesia, the discovery of a cemetery dating to near 3000 BP presents an opportunity to examine what portends to be a large sample of the earliest peoples to inhabit the western Pacific. This report is intended as an introduction to the human skeletal remains recovered to date and a preliminary analysis of the skeletal biology and paleopathology. Although quite fragmentary, analysis reveals a mortuary sample that includes neonates through aged adults and a pathology profile with examples of degenerative joint disease, porotic hyperostosis, and spondylolysis. Though in the early stages of investigation, the cemetery at Chelechol ra Orrak has great potential to aid our understanding of the biological relationships and health of the early inhabitants of Palau

Archaeology · Archipelago · Bioarchaeology · Biological anthropology · Biology · Geography · Human skeleton · Paleopathology · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies · Paleopathology and ancient diseases · Anatomy

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