Collaborative Archaeology

O artigo apresenta alguns resultados do projeto Território e Memória dos Asurini do Xingu. Arqueologia Colaborativa na T.I. Koatinemo-Pará, Brasil. Trata-se de uma pesquisa projetada em parceria com os Asurini, com objetivo principal de compreender sua história na ocupação territorial da T.I. Koatinemo. Ao mesmo tempo, procura também identificar o potencial arqueológico dessa área do baixo-médio Xingu. Ao longo do texto, apresentarei os resultados da etapa de campo realizada em maio de 2013, quando foram localizados e georreferenciados antigos assentamentos asurini e outros sítios arqueológicos ao longo do igarapé Piranhaquara. Essa investigação situa-se no debate sobre as pesquisas colaborativas e aborda os efeitos do encontro entre arqueólogos e povos indígenas em relação aos diferentes modos de conhecer o registro arqueológico.

Neste trabalho apresentaremos os primeiros resultados do projeto Território e Memória dos Asurini do Xingu: Arqueologia Colaborativa na T.I. Kuatinemu, Pará. Trata-se da continuidade da pesquisa arqueológica colaborativa que vem sendo realizada com os Asurini do Xingu, desde 2009. Descreveremos o trabalho de campo e as características dos sítios arqueológicos localizados na área. Além disso, faremos uma reflexão sobre a relação entre paisagem e memória neste contexto amazônico de pesquisa.

In this paper we introduce the Mograt Island Collaborative Project. Launched in 2014, this project aims to share archaeological narratives with members of a local community in Sudan, and with other stakeholders engaged with the area's past, building on a collaborative process which investigates how archaeological outputs can be explored together in a meaningful way. We discuss the wider context in which the project takes place, its individual steps, the factual outcome of its first phase, and its evaluation in spring 2018. We share this case study to promote collaborative practice in postcolonial, present-day majority Muslim contexts, such as the Nile valley countries, where the approach is thus far underrepresented. Reflecting on the project's trajectory and its results, we also present critical thoughts on its potentials and challenges which can be helpful for readers working in similar contexts.

We report here on the results of AMS dating and isotopic analysis of the frozen human remains named Kwaday Dän Ts'inchí and associated materials recovered from a glacier located in Northwest British Columbia, Canada in 1999. The isotopic analysis of bone collagen (bulk and single amino acids) from the individual indicates a strongly marine diet, which was unexpected given the location of this find, more than 100 km inland eroding out of a high elevation glacier; however, bulk hair and bone cholesterol isotopic values indicate a shift in diet to include more terrestrial foods in the year before death. The radiocarbon dating is not straightforward, as there are difficulties in determining the appropriate marine correction for the human remains, and the spread of dates on the associated artifacts clearly indicates that this was not a single use site. By combining the most recent date on a robe worn by Kwaday Dän Ts'inchi with direct bone collagen dates we conclude that the individual likely dates to between cal A.D. 1670 to 1850, which is in the pre-(or early) European contact period for this region.

The remains of the preserved ice body from the Kwädąy Dän Ts'ìnchį discovery were recovered from a retreating glacier in the Tatshenshini-Alsek Park, British Columbia in August 1999. Despite the remote location 80km inland, bone collagen stable isotope analysis indicated that the individual spent much of his life in a region rich in marine foods (δ13C −13.7‰ and δ15N +17.9‰). Since finds of such bodies are exceptionally rare we undertook detailed lipid analyses in order to assess their preservation and determine whether they might provide new insights into the individual’s dietary life history. Molecular fingerprinting and compound-specific carbon isotope analysis were performed on individual lipids extracted from his bone (turnover approximately ≥1year) and skin (turnover approximately several weeks). A considerable abundance was observed of C12:0, C14:0, C16:0, C16:1, C18:0 and C18:1 fatty acids (FAs), cholesterol and hydroxy FAs (the latter being decay products). Most unusual was the presence of long-chain hydroxy FAs (LCHFAs), 10- and 12-hydroxyeicosanoic acid and 10- and 12-hydroxydocosanoic acid, in the bone. The latter components are most likely the products of microbially mediated hydration of the double-bonds of C20:1 and C22:1 FAs, the latter almost certainly originating from the consumption of a largely marine-based diet. A suite of three isoprenoidal lipids, phytanic acid, pristanic acid and 4,8,12-trimethyltetradecanoic (TMTD) acid, was also detected supporting the notion of a significant marine component of the diet for a substantial part of his life. In contrast, the skin lipid composition was dominated by C16:0 FA, with lower abundances being observed of the marine LCHFAs and isoprenoidal compounds, suggesting reduced reliance on coastal marine foods in the last period of life. This interpretation is supported by the enhanced marine dietary signal observed in the bone than skin FA δ13C values.

The remains of the Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį individual, a frozen male human, were recovered from a retreating glacier within the Tatshenshini-Alsek Park in British Columbia in August 1999. In order to provide information on both the geographical origin of this individual and low  long he spent in the remote interior region prior to his death, molecular analysis and compound-specific carbon isotope analyses were performed on individual amino acids purified from his skin and bone. Gas chromatographic quantification of constituent amino acids of both tissues revealed a molecular distribution characteristic of collagen, dominated by glycine and to a lesser extent proline, hydroxyproline and alanine. Chiral gas chromatography indicated that protein preservation in both tissues was exceptional. Carbon isotope analysis of a faunal assemblage from an earlier prehistoric site from southern British Columbia provided reference dietary amino acid d13C values for terrestrial (deer and domestic dog) and marine species (salmon and sealion), showing clear separation in all amino acids, particularly glycine which was extremely 13C-enriched in the marine animals. The distinction between terrestrial and marine organisms was increased by exploring D13CGlycine-Phenylalanine values (6.6 ! 0.6& and 15.0 ! 2.1&, respectively), which were higher in the latter by approximately 8&, mirroring the increased d15NBulk collagen values observed for the marine animals (R2 ¼ 0.78; p < 0.001). The Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį individual’s bone had a similarly elevated D13CGlycine-Phenylalanine value of 15.6 ! 1.0&, indicating his extreme reliance on marine dietary resources throughout early life. The skin amino acid d13C values were consistently lower than those observed for bone, with a concurrently lower D13CGlycine-Phenylalanine value of 12.7 ! 0.9&. The shift between the carbon isotope composition of bone (long-term diet) and skin amino acids (short-term diet) confirmed a sudden divergence away from marine food sources in the last months of life, consistent with his discovery 80 km inland.

IN 1999, WHEN THREE TEACHERS WERE HUNTING in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park and came across an unusual find, could they ever have imagined what their discovery would lead to or the teachings that would come from it? Could they have foreseen how it would bridge cultures and times, connecting the present with the past? They triggered a complex but powerful process of learning—or kets’ädän, as it would be said in Dákwänje, the language of the Southern Tutchone people. The resulting story about the Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį man found on a remote glacier is more than a simple discovery of human remains and artifacts. It is a journey of learning that the hunters, and the many project participants, could never have imagined.

Collaborations between scientists and First Nations are essential to the success of complex archaeological projects in Canada, especially those that involve human remains. The Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį project has been noted for its cooperative and productive approach to understanding the accidental death of an Aboriginal man hundreds of years ago. In 2002 the project partners received the Award of Merit from the British Columbia Museums Association in recognition of the partnerships created and the ongoing collaborative efforts. Such working partnerships can be difficult, even impossible, to achieve for a number of reasons, including a historical lack of trust by First Nations for archaeological projects and insufficient autonomy for the First Nations in decision-making. Also, there are often huge gaps between cultural sensitivities and scientific procedures. Insufficient time, money and personnel to devote to relationship-building are other contributing factors. This is especially true given the urgency when human remains are discovered, which can leave little time to develop the necessary partnerships before decisions are made and actions taken.
In this chapter we discuss how the successful collaboration between the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, BC Archaeology Branch, Royal BC Museum and scientific community came about. We hope that by examining our working relationship in detail, illustrating some of the initial differences and subsequent resolutions to challenges encountered, the project can contribute to future successful partnerships. We begin by summarizing pre-existing agreements and conditions that set the stage for this project to move forward in a cooperative manner. Then we recount the process of planning and implementing the recovery of the remains, as well as the subsequent negotiations to determine an appropriate level and period of study plus an overall management framework for the project.
The resulting formalized co-management agreement, which guided all ensuing project efforts, allowed each of the parties to take on different roles and areas of responsibility within the agreed-upon framework of decision-making.

Since the 1999 discovery of the Kwädąy Dän Ts’ínchį man (Long Ago Person Found) in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park, a wealth of studies have been undertaken to learn as much as possible about this individual and his physical and cultural environment. The incredible preservation of both the body and the associated belongings have allowed for detailed archaeometric and molecular research to investigate this young man’s short- and long-term diet, place of residence, population affinity and even clan identity, as well as the approximate age of the remains. Our study follows a similar vein, by applying molecular analysis to several items associated with the Kwädąy Dän Ts’ínchį individual, including a robe and bag made from animal pelts.

The artifacts found with people frozen in glaciers provide direct insight into the daily lives of these individuals. In comparison, burial objects are placed by others after a person’s death and may not be connected to the deceased’s activities in life. Several belongings were found with and near the body of the Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį individual, and other items lay scattered around the discovery site. These belongings may have been his or were perhaps left behind by other travellers. All of the items are exceptional because they consist of perishable organic material that rarely survives in typical archaeological sites. Like the human remains, the belongings open a window into this person’s daily life as he made his way on foot through an icy mountain landscape.

In this chapter we report on the paleodietary information from stable isotope analysis of the Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį man’s body tissues and explore how this dietary information helps us understand the ancient individual’s life history—notably, his diet, location and geographical movements in the last year of his life.

A description of the field work conducted at the Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį site. Includes details concerning the discovery, assessment, excavation, botanical research and monitoring visits spanning 1999 through 2005. We describe the methods used for identification, collection and recording of the human remains, the man’s belongings and the other artifacts and materials collected in the larger site area.

On a late summer day, many years ago, a young man set out on a voyage through the mountains. He never reached his destination. When his remains were discovered by three British Columbia hunters, roughly three hundred years after he was caught by a storm or other accident, his story had faded from even the long memory of the region’s people. First Nations elders decided to call the discovery Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį—Long Ago Person Found.

The discovery of the Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį man raised many questions. Who was he and how did he die? Where had he come from? Where was he going, and for what purpose? What did his world look like? But his remains, preserved in glacial ice for centuries, offered answers, too—as did the traditional knowledge and experience of the Indigenous peoples in whose territories he lived and died.

In this comprehensive and collaborative account, scientific analysis and cultural knowledge interweave to describe a life that ended just as Europeans were about to arrive in the northwest. What emerges is not only a portrait of an individual and his world, but also a model for how diverse ways of knowing, in both scholarly and oral traditions, can complement each other to provide a new understanding of our complex histories.