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- Title
Matrilocality in the Middle Period in San Francisco Bay? New Evidence from Strontium Isotopes at CA-SCL-287.
- Authors
EERKENS, JELMER W.; BARFOD, GRY H.; LEVENTHAL, ALAN; JORGENSON, GINA A.; CAMBRA, ROSEMARY
- Abstract
We explore strontium (Sr) isotope analysis as a means to reconstruct ancient migration patterns of individuals at SCL-287, a Middle Period site in southern San Francisco Bay. Comparison of Sr isotopes from first molars to that of bone suggests that males frequently immigrated to the site, while all females were bom at or near the site. This pattern is consistent with a preference for matrilocal post-marital residence patterns. At the same time, analysis of third molars indicates that individuals frequently shifted residence during early teenage years, even those who were born and lived as adults at SCL-287. While adult residence shifts are commonly reported in the ethnography of Central California, matrilocality is not. In this respect, isotopie analyses allow us to generate new hypotheses about ancient migration patterns in prehistory independent of those reported in the ethnographic literature.
- Subjects
SAN Francisco Bay (Calif.); STRONTIUM isotopes; ETHNOLOGY; MATRILOCAL residence; ARCHAEOLOGICAL research
- Publication
Journal of California & Great Basin Anthropology, 2014, Vol 34, Issue 2, p211
- ISSN
0191-3557
- Publication type
Article