- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Samanti Kulatilake
Mount Royal University, Sociology & Anthropology, Faculty Member
- Biological Anthropology, Prehistoric Archaeology, South Asia, Holocene, Paleodemography, Paleoanthropology, and 33 moreHuman Osteology, Cranial Morphology, Cranial Variation, Craniometrics, Paleopathology, Anatomically Modern Humans, South Asian Archaeology, Osteoarchaeology, Human Evolution, Archaeology of shell middens, Sri Lanka, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Craniometry, Physical Anthropology, Archaeology, Vedda, Andaman Islands, South Asian Studies, Indian Ocean Archaeology, Cranial Nonmetric Traits, Dental Anthropology, Palaeolithic Archaeology, Paleolithic Archaeology, Mesolithic Archaeology, Mesolithic/Epipalaeolithic Archaeology, Mid-Holocene, Holocene sea level change, Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene, Archeology, Human Anatomy (Biological Anthropology), Palaeopathology, Ancient History, and Prehistoric Archeologyedit
Abstract: The skeletal evidence for early modern human occupation of South Asia is sparse. Sri Lanka has been occupied by modern humans from the terminal Pleistocene, with a skeletal record indicating continuity of occupation and... more
Abstract:
The skeletal evidence for early modern human occupation of South Asia is sparse. Sri Lanka has been occupied by modern humans from the terminal Pleistocene, with a skeletal record indicating continuity of occupation and settlement into the late Holocene. This study focuses on the analysis of fragmented human remains dated to the mid-Holocene recovered from a salvage archaeology operation conducted at a shell midden in the coastal village of Mini-athiliya in southern Sri Lanka. The Mini-athiliya site has been radiocarbon dated to ca. 3600 b.p. Large quantities of estuarine, marine, and terrestrial shells, stone tools, lithic debris, and animal bones were associated with the human skeletal remains recovered from this shell midden. The skeletal remains, faunal remains, and stone tools from this site have been greatly disturbed by recent shell mining activities. Much of the material collected from the piles of debris was mixed, fragmented, and out of context.Our study refers to associations we make to the cultural assemblage from this site to make inferences on the context of skeletal remains found. The minimum number of individuals (MNI) identified from commingled remains is five. In addition, another individual from an undisturbed context from this site was previously reported. Based on tooth eruption and the presence and level of dental attrition, the estimated age at death for these individuals ranges from 5 to 45 years. Heavy attrition in the adult dentition indicates a highly abrasive diet with a marked absence of caries among these relatively robust people. This study contributes to the understanding of the bioarchaeological aspects of mid-Holocene aquatic foragers who were contemporaries of early agricultural people of South Asia, while describing a framework for managing a skeletal sample from a disturbed context.
The skeletal evidence for early modern human occupation of South Asia is sparse. Sri Lanka has been occupied by modern humans from the terminal Pleistocene, with a skeletal record indicating continuity of occupation and settlement into the late Holocene. This study focuses on the analysis of fragmented human remains dated to the mid-Holocene recovered from a salvage archaeology operation conducted at a shell midden in the coastal village of Mini-athiliya in southern Sri Lanka. The Mini-athiliya site has been radiocarbon dated to ca. 3600 b.p. Large quantities of estuarine, marine, and terrestrial shells, stone tools, lithic debris, and animal bones were associated with the human skeletal remains recovered from this shell midden. The skeletal remains, faunal remains, and stone tools from this site have been greatly disturbed by recent shell mining activities. Much of the material collected from the piles of debris was mixed, fragmented, and out of context.Our study refers to associations we make to the cultural assemblage from this site to make inferences on the context of skeletal remains found. The minimum number of individuals (MNI) identified from commingled remains is five. In addition, another individual from an undisturbed context from this site was previously reported. Based on tooth eruption and the presence and level of dental attrition, the estimated age at death for these individuals ranges from 5 to 45 years. Heavy attrition in the adult dentition indicates a highly abrasive diet with a marked absence of caries among these relatively robust people. This study contributes to the understanding of the bioarchaeological aspects of mid-Holocene aquatic foragers who were contemporaries of early agricultural people of South Asia, while describing a framework for managing a skeletal sample from a disturbed context.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Human Evolution, Zooarchaeology, and 15 moreBioarchaeology, Dental Anthropology, Osteology, Sri Lanka, Physical Anthropology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Rescue Archaeology, Archaeological Methodology, Prehistory, Human Osteology, Prehistoric Archeology, Dental Morphology, Holocene, Shell middens, and Salvage Archaeology
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Cultural History, Archaeology, Maritime Archaeology, and 78 morePaleoanthropology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Anthropology, Biological Anthropology, Human Evolution, Historical Anthropology, Historical Archaeology, Languages and Linguistics, Historical Linguistics, Coastal Management, Zooarchaeology, Ethnoarchaeology, Bioarchaeology, Paleoclimatology, Population Genetics, Palaeolithic Archaeology, Ancient Indo-European Languages, Anthropometry, South Asia, Human Anatomy (Biological Anthropology), Dental Anthropology, Coastal Geomorphology, South Asian History, Paleoenvironment, Paleoecology, Tamil Literature, Sri Lanka, South Asian Politics, Sinhala Language, Sinhala and Dravidian languages, Sinhala, Indian ancient history, South Asian Archaeology, Physical Anthropology, Biocultural Anthropology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Prehistoric Settlement, Death and Burial (Archaeology), South Asian Religions, Palaeoanthropology, Cultural Anthropology, Burial Practices (Archaeology), Ancient Civilization (Archaeology), Archaeology of Caves and Caverns (Archaeospeleology), Speleology, Mortuary archaeology, Tamil language, Human Variation, Dravidian Linguistics, Sri Lankan Studies, South Asian Prehistory, Sri Lankan Archaeology, Palaeolithic, Human Osteology, Middle Paleolithic, History of South Asia, Archaeology of shell middens, Prehistoric Archeology, Classical Sinhala Literature, Bioarcheology, Ancient Indian Archaeology, History of Sri Lanka, Ancient India, Human Osteoarchaeology, Shell Midden, Ancient human migrations, Ancient Indian History, Sri Lankan history, Bioarachaeology, Paleopathology, Physical Anthropology, Bioarchaeology, Osteology, Paleopathology, The Archaeology of Seafaring in Ancient South Asia, Modern human dispersal, Vedda, Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Vedda Cultural Studies, Archeology, Ancient Migrations, and India and Sri Lanka - History
Research Interests: Archaeology, Maritime Archaeology, Paleoanthropology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Anthropology, and 84 moreBiological Anthropology, Zooarchaeology, Bioarchaeology, Coastal Processes, Archaeological Science, South Asian Studies, Mesolithic Archaeology, Midden analysis, South Asia, Human Anatomy (Biological Anthropology), Coastal Geomorphology, South Asian History, Funerary Archaeology, Mesolithic/Epipalaeolithic Archaeology, Sri Lanka, South Asian Archaeology, Physical Anthropology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Taphonomy, Death and Burial (Archaeology), Cultural Resource Management (Archaeology), Rescue Archaeology, Palaeoanthropology, Burial Practices (Archaeology), Archaeological Conservation, Archaeological Heritage Management, Mesolithic/Neolithic, Holocene sea level change, Stone artefacts (Archaeology), Bioanthropology, Prehistory, Mortuary archaeology, Prehistoric diet, Estuarine Ecology, Faunal Analysis, Excavation Methodology, Archeological Science, Sri Lankan Studies, Archaeological Excavation, Human Osteology, Indian Ocean Archaeology, Archaeology of shell middens, Prehistoric Archeology, Ancient diets, Holocene, Preventive and rescue archeology, Archeozoology, Mortuary Practices, Archaeology of death and burial, Cranial Morphology, Bioarcheology, Mid-Holocene, Archaeological Faunal Analysis, Shell Artifacts, Fisheries, Artifacts, Bioarchaeology, human & faunal osteology, Archaeozoology, Taphonomy, Shell middens, Middle Holocene, Human Osteoarchaeology, Shell Midden, Bioarchaeology, Biological Anthropology, Archaeology, Prehistoric diets, Archaeological excavations, Maritime Salvage, Microliths, Bioarchaeology, Mortuary Archaeology, Coastal and estuarine Processes, Human Osteology, Bioarchaeology, Bioarchaeology, Osteology, Paleopathology, Excavations, Preventive and Rescue Archaeology, Prehistoric and Historic Mortuary Practices, Techniques of Archaeological Excavation, Shellfish, Archeaology, shell middens, Archaeological Salvage, Early and Mid Holocene adaptations, Archeological heritage management, Calcium Carbonate, Archeology, Islands Archaeology, Mortuary Archaeolgy, Cranial Robusticity, and Skeletal Robusticity
Research Interests: Ancient History, Archaeology, Paleoanthropology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Anthropology, and 54 moreBiological Anthropology, Human Evolution, Historical Archaeology, Bioarchaeology, Craniofacial Morphology, Normal Human Variation, South Asian Studies, Ancient Indo-European Languages, Anthropometry, South Asia, Human Anatomy (Biological Anthropology), Indian Ocean History, Anthropometrics, Osteology, Sri Lanka, Sinhala and Dravidian languages, Sinhala, Indian ancient history, South Asian Archaeology, Physical Anthropology, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Modern Indian History, Migration (Anthropology), Indigenous Peoples, Andaman Islands, South India, Palaeoanthropology, Osteology (Anthropology), India, The evolution of human diversity, Human Osteology, Craniofacial Anthropometry, Indian Ocean Archaeology, Prehistoric Archeology, Indian History, Cranial Morphology, Bioarcheology, Anatomically Modern Humans, Ancient Indian Archaeology, Cranial Variation, Craniometry, Ancient India, Human Osteoarchaeology, Biological Anthropology of Indian castes and tribes, Craniometrics, Osteometry, Ancient Indian History, Bioarchaeology, Osteology, Paleopathology, Modern human dispersal, Vedda, Archeology, Ancient Migrations, and Human Morphology
Research Interests: Ancient History, Archaeology, Paleoanthropology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, and 51 moreHuman Evolution, Historical Archaeology, Southeast Asian Studies, Bioarchaeology, Craniofacial Morphology, Normal Human Variation, Skeletal Biology, South Asian Studies, Palaeolithic Archaeology, Mesolithic Archaeology, South Asia, Human Anatomy (Biological Anthropology), South Asian History, Anthropometrics, Paleoenvironment, Osteology, Sri Lanka, Sinhala, Indian ancient history, South Asian Archaeology, Osteoarchaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Andaman Islands, Paleodemography, The evolution of human diversity, Human Variation, South Asian Prehistory, Human Osteology, Craniofacial Anthropometry, Indian Ocean Archaeology, Palaeodemography, Human skeletal anatomy, Human biogeography, Craniofacial Biology, Cranial Morphology, Anatomically Modern Humans, Skull shape, Cranial Variation, Mid-Holocene, Craniometry, Harappan Archaeology, Human Osteoarchaeology, Osteometry, Cranial Nonmetric Traits, Skulls, Modern human dispersal, Human Diversity, Vedda, Archeology, Harappan Civilization, and Human Morphology
Early European explorers studied and collected skeletal remains of diverse ethnic groups they encountered in their travels and expeditions. The Sarasins cousins of Switzerland visited Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) on five occasions between... more
Early European explorers studied and collected skeletal remains of diverse ethnic groups they encountered in their travels and expeditions. The Sarasins cousins of Switzerland visited Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) on five occasions between 1883-1925. Their first visit was primarily a zoological expedition. In their latter visits the Sarasins' focus was on anthropological research on the indigenous Vedda people and the exploration of prehistoric settlements of the island. Among the data and collections acquired by the Sarasins are about 400 artifacts, 500 photographs and skeletal remains of over 90 individuals affiliated with diverse ethnic groups of Sri Lanka. The ethnic groups represented in the Sarasins' collection include the Vedda, Tamil, Sinhala and Rodi people. Of these groups, the indigenous Vedda people of Sri Lanka have been highlighted for study by the Sarasins, as a society and a life way on the verge of extinction and a larger sample of Vedda artifacts and skeletal material had been collected. This collection constitutes the largest collection of Vedda skeletal remains curated in any single museum collection. The skeletal series is also unique due to its size, completeness and integrity of the specimens, where many individuals are named, aged and sexed by the collectors. We present basic descriptive statistics and observations on the Sri Lankan skeletal material collected by the Sarasins, curated at the Natural History Museum in Basel, Switzerland.
Research Interests: Ancient History, Paleoanthropology, Anthropology, Biological Anthropology, Bioarchaeology, and 15 moreSkeletal Biology, Paleopathology, South Asian Studies, Osteology, Sri Lanka, Tamil, Sinhala, Physical Anthropology, Museums and Identity, Human Osteology, Dental Caries, Betel Quid, Vedda, History of Ceylon, and Wanniyala-Aetto
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Prehistoric Archaeology, Anthropology, Biological Anthropology, Human Evolution, Indigenous Studies, and 27 moreIndigenous or Aboriginal Studies, Historical Archaeology, Bioarchaeology, Craniofacial Morphology, South Asian Studies, Ancient Indo-European Languages, Anthropometry, Human Anatomy (Biological Anthropology), Anthropometrics, Sri Lanka, Vedda Language in Sri Lanka, Physical Anthropology, Indigenous Peoples, Hunter-Gatherers (Anthropology), Bioanthropology, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, The evolution of human diversity, Human Osteology, Skull, Bioarcheology, Cranial Variation, Craniometry, Hunter-Gatherers, Ancient human migrations, Vedda, Vedda Cultural Studies, and Biological Anthropology
Research Interests:
Sinhala Language author publication
Research Interests:
Monograph of MPhil. Dissertation
Research Interests: Archaeology, Paleoanthropology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Human Evolution, and 45 moreHistorical Archaeology, Southeast Asian Studies, Bioarchaeology, Craniofacial Morphology, Normal Human Variation, Australian Indigenous Archaeology, South Asia, Human Anatomy (Biological Anthropology), Dental Anthropology, Indian Ocean History, Anthropometrics, Sri Lanka, Indian ancient history, South Asian Archaeology, Physical Anthropology, Osteoarchaeology, Palaeoanthropology, Burma, The evolution of human diversity, Human Variation, Anthropometry and physical anthropology, Craniofacial Anthropometry, History of Punjab, Indus Valley (Pakistan) Prehistory and Protohistory, Indian Ocean Archaeology, Indian History, Craniofacial Biology, Skull, Cranial Morphology, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, Burma Myanmar, Cranial Variation, Craniometry, Ancient India, Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology, Osteometry, Ancient Indian History, Cranial Nonmetric Traits, Facial Morphology, South Asian Paleolithic, Bioarchaeology, Osteology, Paleopathology, Paleoanthropogy, Archaeology of Colonialism, Vedda, and Archeology
Sinhala Language Textbook (cover)
Publisher: Sarasavi Publishers, Sri Lanka
Publisher: Sarasavi Publishers, Sri Lanka