Use ancient remains more wisely

Fox, Keolu; Hawks, John

doi:10.1038/d41586-019-02516-5

Cited by 38 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…If consultation had occurred in the Chaco Canyon study, for example, modern Pueblo groups could have provided more detailed knowledge of familial structures and matrilineal kinship systems to enhance the researchers’ interpretation of their scientific findings, and they could have pushed the researchers to use more respectful and less dehumanizing language in the published paper (i.e., to refer to the individuals being studied as “ancestors” or “people,” not simply “crania”). Such engagement would have been consistent with repeated and increasingly urgent calls for more collaborative methods in aDNA research in recent years (e.g., Bardill et al., 2018; Bolnick et al., 2016; Fox and Hawks, 2019; Gibbon, 2020; Kaestle and Horsburgh, 2002; Malhi and Bader, 2019; Prendergast and Sawchuk, 2018; Wagner et al., 2020), and in line with the practices implemented in a number of other archaeological projects in the American Southwest over the last three decades (e.g., Kuwanwisiwma et al., 2018).…”

Section: The Chaco Canyon Controversysupporting

confidence: 57%

An ethical crisis in ancient DNA research: Insights from the Chaco Canyon controversy as a case study

Cortez

Bolnick

Nicholas

et al. 2021

Journal of Social Archaeology

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In recent years, the field of paleogenomics has grown into an exciting and rapidly advancing area of scientific inquiry. However, scientific work in this field has far outpaced the discipline’s dialogue about research ethics. In particular, Indigenous peoples have argued that the paleogenomics revolution has produced a “vampire science” that perpetuates biocolonialist traditions of extracting Indigenous bodies and heritage without the consent of, or benefits to, the communities who are most affected by this research. In this article, we explore these ethical issues through the case study of a project that sequenced the ancient DNA (aDNA) of nine Ancestral Puebloan people from Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. By providing a “thick description” of this controversy, we are able to analyze its metanarratives, periodization, path dependency, and historical contingencies. We conclude that the paleogenomics revolution needs to include an ethical revolution that remakes the field’s values, relationships, forms of accountability, and practices.

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Section: The Chaco Canyon Controversysupporting

confidence: 57%

An ethical crisis in ancient DNA research: Insights from the Chaco Canyon controversy as a case study

Cortez

Bolnick

Nicholas

et al. 2021

Journal of Social Archaeology

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“…The resulting Anson Street African Burial Ground (ASABG) Project undertook genetic analyses mindful of debates within the field of ancient DNA studies concerning the ethical sampling of human remains (e.g., Bardill et al, 2018; Fox & Hawks, 2019; Prendergast & Sawchuk, 2018) and the importance of using a community‐focused epistemological framework (Blakey, 2008, 2009). Given that the deceased are not able to give consent in this context, it becomes “the right for African Americans to determine the disposition of their ancestral remains” (Blakey, 2010, p. 63).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ancestry, health, and lived experiences of enslaved Africans in 18th century Charleston: An osteobiographical analysis

Fleskes

Ofunniyin

Gilmore

et al. 2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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Objectives In 2013, the burials of 36 individuals of putative African ancestry were discovered during renovation of the Gaillard Center in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. The Charleston community facilitated a bioarchaeological and mitogenomic study to gain insights into the lives of these unknown persons, referred to as the Anson Street Ancestors, including their ancestry, health, and lived experiences in the 18th century. Methods Metric and morphological assessments of skeletal and dental characteristics were recorded, and enamel and cortical bone strontium stable isotope values generated. Whole mitochondrial genomes were sequenced and analyzed. Results Osteological analysis identified adults, both females and males, and subadults at the site, and estimated African ancestry for most individuals. Skeletal trauma and pathology were infrequent, but many individuals exhibited dental decay and abscesses. Strontium isotope data suggested these individuals mostly originated in Charleston or sub‐Saharan Africa, with many being long‐term residents of Charleston. Nearly all had mitochondrial lineages belonging to African haplogroups (L0‐L3, H1cb1a), with two individuals sharing the same L3e2a haplotype, while one had a Native American A2 mtDNA. Discussion This study generated detailed osteobiographies of the Anson Street Ancestors, who were likely of enslaved status. Our results indicate that the Ancestors have diverse maternal African ancestries and are largely unrelated, with most being born locally. These details reveal the demographic impact of the trans‐Atlantic slave trade. Our analysis further illuminates the lived experiences of individuals buried at Anson Street, and expands our understanding of 18th century African history in Charleston.

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“…We conclude by reaffirming the importance of ethics in coprolite studies. Fox and Hawks (2019) refer to a "bone bonanza" and critique the "factory-like approach to analyzing ancient DNA" from human skeletal remains in the past 5 years, as researchers rush to acquire and analyze human remains for high-profile genetic studies. Fox and Hawks stress that we need to strike a balance between "discovery" and safeguarding of cultural materials-"irrevocable decisions continue to be made about the sampling of ancient specimens, guided by the immediate research interests of a few."…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%