DDIG: Reproduction & Prenatal Care in Arizona Prehistory: An Examination of Patterns of Health in Perinates & Children at Turkey Creek, Point of Pines, & Grasshopper Pueblos

University Of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM

Investigators

Abstract

This research examines prenatal health and disease in the late prehistoric Southwest (circa AD 1200-1540) at three aggregated East-Central Arizona sites: Grasshopper Pueblo, Point of Pines Pueblo, and Turkey Creek Pueblo. The close proximity of the sites and the common settlement pattern facilitates an examination of changes in prenatal health care in response to aggregated living communities. Reproduction and pregnancy have not been intensively studied in the prehistoric record. Additionally, research on prehistoric babies has been underrepresented until recently because of the difficulties associated with studying small, less well-preserved skeletal remains. However, the health of fetuses and newborns is dependent on the health of their mothers. Therefore, skeletal remains and teeth of fetuses and newborns provide a means of testing for changes through time in the health of pregnant women. This project proposes to advance discovery and understanding of our knowledge of pregnancy and prenatal health of babies and mothers by studying three well preserved archaeological samples. An understanding of prenatal health care in the prehistoric Southwest will facilitate an understanding of how Native American infant mortality and prenatal health care of mothers has changed over time in the Southwest by contributing to the understanding of historical and cultural differences in maternal care. In addition, information regarding the occurrence and appearance of different diseases in fetal and infant skeleton can be directly applied to osteological studies of infant remains or forensics in the United States.