Anthropology at JAC
21275 Lakeshore Road H9X3L9 Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada

Scientists have found unlooted graves. October,2021 Archaeologists in the Askiz district discovered burials uncharacteristic for Khakassia in the mound. The gra...ves of the representatives of the Andronov culture. They lived 4000 years ago. The film crew of NotaBene visited the excavation and found out why scientists call the burials unique. See video in link https://ctv7.ru//obsch/otkrytie-hakasskih-arheologov.html

Scientists have found unlooted graves. October,2021 Archaeologists in the Askiz district discovered burials uncharacteristic for Khakassia in the mound. The gra...ves of the representatives of the Andronov culture. They lived 4000 years ago. The film crew of NotaBene visited the excavation and found out why scientists call the burials unique. See video in link https://ctv7.ru//obsch/otkrytie-hakasskih-arheologov.html

The New Yorker: "When Black History is Unearthed, Who Gets to Speak for the Dead." https://www.newyorker.com//when-black-history-is-unearthed

For fun, myself and two like-minded, friendly, palaeo-nerds have been reviewing pop culture appearances of prehistory, palaeontology, and archaeology. For a bit... of levity, we have looked at serious, as well as not so serious films and series. The result is "Screens of the Stone Age", which can be listened to on Apple/Google/Spotify or wherever you get podcasts. It can also be d/l here See more

Have a great weekend everyone!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Unconscious people don't want tea! Please watch :)

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Welcome back everyone! Enjoy the long weekend and let’s rock the semester next week!!!!

Welcome back everyone! Enjoy the long weekend and let’s rock the semester next week!!!!

Happy last few weeks of vacation everyone

Happy last few weeks of vacation everyone

In 1890, the X and Y chromosomes were discovered. It was found that the men who were tested had 46 chromosomes, including an X and a Y, while women who were tes...ted also had 46 chromosomes, including 2 X chromosomes. So obviously the conclusion was that the Y chromosome defined masculinity. A reasonable conclusion. Fast forward 50 years... and it was found that some men had 47 chromosomes, including 2 X's and a Y, while some women had 45, including only one X. Still no problem with the "Y chromosome defines masculinity" idea. Then... it was found that fully 1 in 300 men weren't 46,XY. Some women were. Oops. After DNA was discovered in the 50s, it was found that the SrY gene, usually found on the Y chromosome, sometimes was missing. And sometimes had been translocated to another chromosome, hence 46,XX men and 46,XY women. So SrY defined masculinity. Then.. it was found out that some men didn’t have an SrY chromosome, not anywhere. Some women did. Other genes were involved. Worse, other factors, such as Androgen Insensitivity made 46,XY people female, and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia masculinised 46,XX people. Then in the 70s, other syndromes, such as 5alpha-reductase-2 deficiency were identified, which caused babies to look like one sex at birth, then the other at puberty. Worse, in some places 1 in 50 infants had this natural sex change, it was not rare there. Science 1974 Dec 27; 186 (4170): 1213-5 In an isolated village of the southwestern Dominican Republic, 2% of the live births were in the 1970's, guevedoces....These children appeared to be girls at birth, but at puberty these 'girls' sprout muscles, testes, and a penis. For the rest of their lives they are men in nearly all respects. In the 90s, it was found that hormonal hiccups in the womb caused some parts of the body to develop as one sex, othersbas the other, regardless of genetics. Maletofemale transsexuals have female neuron numbers in a limbic nucleus. Kruiver et al J Clin Endocrinol Metab (2000) 85:20342041 The present findings of somatostatin neuronal sex differences in the BSTc and its sex reversal in the transsexual brain clearly support the paradigm that in transsexuals sexual differentiation of the brain and genitals may go into opposite directions It's a matter of timing during foetal development. Sometimes a boy is born looking like a girl, sometimes a girl is born looking like a boy, regardless of chromosomes. This is complex stuff. We don't teach the Theory of General Relativity in grade school, Newtonian physics or at most Special Relativity (far simpler) is enough. Similary, "XX is female, XY is male" is good enough unless you do medicine or biology in college. It's only really relevant when talking about Trans or Intersex people, just as Relativistic effects only become relevant in the domain of the very big, very small, or very very fast, close to 186,000 miles a second. People do *not* need psychiatric help when they think that things get heavier, more massive, as they go faster... while lengths contract. People do *not* need help when they think their sex is something different from their genetics. Intersex people exist. Trans people exist. They are unusual, so trying to apply the usual approximations is as silly as trying to apply Newtonian physics to things moving close to or at light speed. Legislating such things is as insane as legally ruling that Pi=3... as has been done in the past. I hope this helps explain.

Our department has released a statement regarding the heart-breaking discovery at the Kamloops Indian Residential School and the call from the FSIN for immediat...e action to locate missing Residential School children here in Saskatchewan. This is work we can do and must do. We add our voices to the now thunderous calls for justice for those that never returned home from Indian Residential Schools. (Thank you for taking the lead on this, Terry Clark). See more

Our department has released a statement regarding the heart-breaking discovery at the Kamloops Indian Residential School and the call from the FSIN for immediat...e action to locate missing Residential School children here in Saskatchewan. This is work we can do and must do. We add our voices to the now thunderous calls for justice for those that never returned home from Indian Residential Schools. (Thank you for taking the lead on this, Terry Clark). See more

The grave of Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce, located in a forgotten corner of Ottawa's Beechwood National Cemetery. From 1904 until 1921 as a federal medical office...r, Dr. Bryce documented the appalling health conditions in the federal residential schools. In the spring of 1907, he toured 35 residential schools in Western Canada and discovered the First Nations students were basically being warehoused in overcrowded dormitories that lacked ventilation, inadequate heating, poor nutrition, limited health care, all resulting in a staggering death rate among the students. In his report, he stated: It suffices for us to know that a total of 1,537 pupils reported upon, nearly 25% are dead of one school with an absolutely accurate statement, 69% of ex-pupils are dead are dead, and that everywhere the almost invariable cause of death given is tuberculosis. He blamed both the churches and the government for the avoidable deaths. His 1907 report was suppressed by the Liberal government of Sir Wilfrid Laurier! In 1913 , Dr. Bryce’s research funding was cut and was denied sharing his findings at international public health conferences by the Conservative government of Sir Robert Borden. Denied promotions for which he was supremely qualified, he was forced into retirement in 1920, but the story doesn’t end there! See more

The grave of Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce, located in a forgotten corner of Ottawa's Beechwood National Cemetery. From 1904 until 1921 as a federal medical office...r, Dr. Bryce documented the appalling health conditions in the federal residential schools. In the spring of 1907, he toured 35 residential schools in Western Canada and discovered the First Nations students were basically being warehoused in overcrowded dormitories that lacked ventilation, inadequate heating, poor nutrition, limited health care, all resulting in a staggering death rate among the students. In his report, he stated: It suffices for us to know that a total of 1,537 pupils reported upon, nearly 25% are dead of one school with an absolutely accurate statement, 69% of ex-pupils are dead are dead, and that everywhere the almost invariable cause of death given is tuberculosis. He blamed both the churches and the government for the avoidable deaths. His 1907 report was suppressed by the Liberal government of Sir Wilfrid Laurier! In 1913 , Dr. Bryce’s research funding was cut and was denied sharing his findings at international public health conferences by the Conservative government of Sir Robert Borden. Denied promotions for which he was supremely qualified, he was forced into retirement in 1920, but the story doesn’t end there! See more

All these places have to be checked for bodies. https://www.change.org/p/government-of-canada-we-demand-gro

All these places have to be checked for bodies. https://www.change.org/p/government-of-canada-we-demand-gro

Excellent! "Décoloniser, autochtoniser, voilà deux synonymes qui ne veulent pas tout à fait dire la même chose"

Happy Wednesday

November is a good time to remember how much JBNQA had a positive impact on the development of a more ethic archaeology in Canada. The early contribution of the Cree and Inuit remain highly underestimate in the literature.

Happy Saturday everyone!

Congratulations Dr. Riel-Salvatore!

Karanovo thrakische Hügelgrab - Bulgarien Im Jahr 2008 Archäologen in der Nähe der Dorf Karanovo ein thrakische "Fürstengrab" aus der Zeit ca.50.nach Chr. entde...ckt, 10 km westlich von Nova Sagora in Bulgarien. Der Hügel ist ellipsenförmig und hat einem Durchmesser von 63-77 m und ist mit seiner langen Achse auf Nord-Süd orientiert. Die Höhe beträgt 11 m im nördlichen Teil und 14 m im südlichen. Der Edle Odrys-Aristokraten war mit ein vierrädiger Streitwagen beerdigt, seinen großen Rad-Ausmaßen von 1,20 m ab, es wurde aus Holz, Leder und Bronze gefertigt. reich mit Bronzebeschläge und Bronzefiguren waren der Wagen dekoriert. Zwei Pferde und ein Jagdhund Skelette, einen große Bronzekessel, mehrere Terrakotta und Glas Gefäße, Bronzeschalen, ein paar Speerköpfe, Gold Fingerringe, reich geschmückte Pferdegeschirr, silberne Fibeln und zwei silbernen Tassen mit Abbildung des Gottes Eros wurde gefunden. Historische Museum Nova Sagora Bulgarien See more

Yukon archaeologist Ty Heffner explaining the significance of the Bluefish Caves, in northern #Yukon, to our understanding of early human history in #Beringia and North America during the late #Pleistocene.

Excellent interview with Dr. Rudy Reimer Yumks!

Wednesday humour

Take a look how 3 children originating from Middle East were buried 17 centuries ago in ancient Roman town Viminacium in eastern Serbia. See how parents took ca...re of their deceased children and send them off to the eternity This has been a great week for Serbian archaeology! Several important discoveries have been made all over the Serbia, and last one comes from ancient Roman town Viminacium in eastern Serbia. Few days ago, archaeologists have found 3 richly decorated lead sarcophagi from 3rd century AD. Lead sarcophagi are very rare, since in the last few decades out of 15 000 sarcophagi and coffins found in Viminacium only 30 are lead ones. The recently discovered 3 sarcophagi contain remains of upper-class people who originated from the Middle East, from present-day Syria or Palestine. Custom of burial in lead coffins originates from Middle East, from where it spread out in other parts of the Roman Empire, following migrations of people from that part of the world. Curiosity is that 2 of those 3 sarcophagi are intact, skeletons and burial offerings were still there when coffins were opened, and experts form Viminacium archaeological park will start revealing ancient secrets buried in the ground more than 17 centuries ago. One undisturbed coffin contained remains of 3-year-old girl. Her sarcophagus was decorated with the motif o a star, and besides her skeletal remains were found leather shoes and remains of white canvas which used to cover the body of this child. Interesting fact is that this girl was buried with rich burial offerings gold medallion found on the chest of the girl, and earrings and several coins which were lying next to the skull. Medallion is shaped as a shield of mythological female Amazon warriors, and it had protective purpose. On the ring of her right hand there was beautiful snake-shaped gold ring, which also had protective purpose. Just 3 meters away from the girl, archaeologists found grave of a woman, which contained bronze distaff, tolls used for wool spinning. Besides distaff, grave contained tubulus or capsule with ink, part of writing set. Same as little girl, this woman also had snake-shaped silver ring. Further analysis will tell if this woman and little girl were related or members of the same ethnic group. Second lead sarcophagus was placed in a grave with 3 ceramic pitchers leaned on it. This one contained well preserved skeleton of a child, 1-year-old or even younger. In the sarcophagus, next to the right foot there was a ceramic pot with remains of burnt wood, probably remains of some burial ritual. Third sarcophagus was robbed in the antiquity, robbers made a hole in the lid, took everything except the skull which waited for archaeologists to find it in 2020. Area where these sarcophagi were found is part of ancient cemetery, where members of upper classes of the Roman society from Viminacium were buried. Area will be used for coal mining, and archaeologists carried rescue excavation. Within 3 months the have found 170 graves, with several hundreds objects placed as a burial offerings, such as jewelry, coins and pottery. Viminacium was fortified Roman city which had around 30 000 inhabitants, capital of Moesia Superior province and base camp of VII Claudia Legion. Site of Viminacium covers area of 450 hectares, and so far, only 2% have been excavated. Archaeologists say that there is enough material for the next 300 years of digging and exploration. More than 14 000 graves and tombs with more than 30 000 interesting and valuable grave goods inside them have been found at Viminacium necropolises, which makes them the largest Roman cemetery in the world. Unfortunately, most of Viminacium’s remains were found at the foot of a massive coal-fired power station and above the coal mine deposits, and archaeological excavations are being carried out before new units of the plant and intensive coal mining devastate this ancient site // Pogledajte kako su u Viminacijumu u istonoj Srbiji pre 17 vekova sahranjena 3 deteta poreklom sa Bliskog istoka, is a kakvom pažnjom su njihova mala tela položena u olovne sarkofage. Ova sedmica bila je veoma plodonosna za srpsku arheologiju! Došlo se do nekoliko važnih otkria širom Srbije, a poslednje dolazi iz antikog Viminacijuma u istonom delu zemlje. Pre nekoliko dana, arheolozi su u Viminacijumu pronašli 3 bogato ukrašena olovna sarkofaga iz 3. veka nove ere. Olovni sarkofazi su retki, u proteklih nekoliko decenija od preko 15 000 pronaenih sarkofaga i kovega, samo 30 je olovnih. U tri nedavno otkrivena nalaze se ostaci ljudi poreklom sa Bliskog istoka, sa podruja Sirije ili Palestine. Obiaj sahranjivanja u olovnim kovezima potie iz tog dela sveta, a potom se raširio širom Rimskog carstva. Važno je što su 2 od 3 sarkofaga netaknuta, sadržali su skeletne ostatke i pogrebne darove, što e arheolozima omoguiti da razreše deo tajni koju nose ove sahrane od pre 17 vekova. Jedan od netaknutih sarkofaga pripadao je trogodišnjoj devojici. Ukrašen je motivom zvezde, a pored skeletal deteta pronaeni su ostaci kožne obue i belog platna u koji j enjeno telo bilo uvijeno. Devojica je bila sahranjena sa bogatim darovima zlatnim medaljonom koji je pronaen na grudima, minušama i nekoliko novia koji su ležali pored lobanje. Medaljon je u obliku štita mitoloških ratnica Amazonki, i imao je zaštitniku ulogu. Na prstu desne ruke nalazio se zlatni prsten u obliku zmije, takoe sa zaštitnikom ulogom. Samo 3 metra dalje, pronaen je grob žene, u kojem se nalazila bronzana preslica, kapsula za mastilo, a poput devojice, i ova pokojnica je imala prsten u obliku zmije, ali od srebra. Analize e pokazati da li su devojica i žene bile u srodstvu, ili makar pripadnice iste etnike grupe. Drugi lovni sarkofag je pronaen u grobu, sa 3 keramika kraga naslonjena na njega. U njemu su se nalazili ostaci malog deteta, starog svega godinu dana, možda ak i mlaeg. Pored desnog stopala nalazio se keramiki krag sa ostacima spaljenog drveta, što verovatno predstavlja ostatak nekog magijskog rituala. Trei sarkofag je opljakan još u doba antike, lopovi su kroz rupu na poklopcu izvukli sve što se unutra nalazilo, osim lobanje koja je saekala arheologe u 2020. godini... Oblast u kojoj su pronaeni sarkofazi je deo drevnog groblja na kojem su sahranjivani pripadnici viših društvenih slojeva iz Viinacijuma. Podruje e biti iskorišeno za potrebe rudnika uglja, pa su arheolozi sproveli zaštitna iskopavanja, i tokom poslednja 3 meseca pronašli 170 grobiva sa nekolikos totina pogrebnih darova, poput nakita, novia i grnarije. Viminacijum je bio utvreni rimski grad sa oko 30 000 stanovnika, središte provincije Gornja Mezija i logor u kojem je bila stacionirana VII Klaudija legija, a povremeno i druge legije, osnovan u 1. veku nove ere. Lokalitet pokriva površinu od 450 hektara, a do sada je istraženo samo 2%, a arheolozi kažu da ima dovoljno materijala za naredih 300 godina iskopavanja. Do sada je u tamošnjim nekropolama pronaeno preko 14 000 grobova i grobnica sa preko 30 000 vrednih grobnih priloga, što ih ini najveim rimskim grobljem na svetu. Nažalost, veina ostataka Viminacijuma se nalazi na putu gradnje novih blokova termoelektrane i površinskih kopova uglja, pa arheolozi žure sa istraživanjima, kako bi istražili što više pre nego što moderne graevine i rudarenje prekriju i unište drevni lokalitet See more