| Abstract: |
Agrees with Wood et al (1992) assessment that skeletal indicators of stress can have alternative explanations but would like to have seen them focus more on the fundamental problems of osteology. These fundamental problems include age and sex, inadequate sample size, bias, differential preservation, etc. <p> Provides an example of age determination problems that can arise when comparing different sites but using different methods. <p> Jackes (1993) makes the argument that the health status of one archaeological site is not accurate enough to reflect skills with changes for an entire region. Jackes uses two dissertations from Dickson Mound to compare difference is in age assessment from the site by two different people. Jackes is able to demonstrate that the use a different age determination techniques can lead to differing and interpretations of the same material from the same site. Jackes concludes by stating that Wood et al. (1992) is correct in that we need to lo at some other sites other than Dickson Mounds for answers to basic questions that pertain to health status during the transition to agriculture.
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