“By any other name”: Procedures for establishing terminology in bioarchaeology

“By any other name”: Procedures for establishing terminology in bioarchaeology

Authors: Cristina Barroso Cruz1,2; Margarita Correia4; Ana Lema Seabra3 Filipa Neto1,3

1Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (University of Coimbra, Portugal);

2 Interdisciplinary Centre for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behavior (University of Algarve, Portugal)

3 General-Directorate for Cultural Heritage (Portugal)

4 Centro de Estudos de Linguística Aplicada

BAM II | Bio Anthropological Meeting| May 29-30, 2015 | Coimbra, Portugal



Previous information…

The human brain is a wonderful organ. I starts to work as soon as you are born and doesn't stop until you get up to deliver a speech.

George Jessel (according to Google)

Communication (kəmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/):The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium;

Introduction

In Portugal the lack of a uniform bioarchaeological vocabulary and recording system of human archaeological remains from excavation sites is limiting data analysis and knowledge about past populations.

From the latin communi<care:

Share/divide with…

Essential to scientific development.



Physical Anthropology in Portugal: creation of bioarchaeological uniformity

Tracing back our path…

Cruz, 2011, 2013

Neto, 2013

201

420

15



Bioarchaeological working group

201

3

Develop an uniform vocabulary to be used in Portuguese Bioarchaeology so that becomes possible to:

Goals

- Improve the cross analysis of field/excavation data- Feed an informatic data base that will allow a faster access to

bioarchaeological information

- Relevance of this process and predictable outcome;

- The main obstacles to this process;- Strategies to it’s development

Here we present:

General Directorate for Cultural Heritage (DGPC) working group



Bioarchaeology and terminology: a consistent concern throughout the times

Revision of literature

1658: Thomas Browne Hyriotaphia, urne-burial, or, a discourse of the sepulchrall urnes lately found in Norfolk

In Portugal, steps towards the creation of a specific terminology are being taken.

1876: William Tegg The last act: being the funeral rites of nations and individuals1942: James Griffin; Georg Neuman Subcommittee on burial terminology 1959-2006: Roderik Sprague; Burial terminology: a guide for researchers 1980-present: Henri Duday; Éric Crubézy; Anthropologie de terrain1990-present: J. Buikstra; D. Ubelaker; Standards for data collection from human skeletal materials

2014: Christopher Knüsel; Crouching in fear: terms of engagement for funerary remains



Physical Anthropology in Portugal: scientific development

Revision of literature

19th century: first steps on the analysis of human remains;

19th century: first course/discipline on Physical Anthropology;1992-1996: first degree in Anthropology (University of Coimbra);

1999: first laws concerning excavation sites with human remains;

1994: first PhD in Anthropology;

2000-present: relevant contributions to the development of biodemographic methodologies and paleopathological diagnoses;

Until now: no reflection has been done on the need of a uniform bioarchaeological vocabulary and standardize recording system;



Excavation, Report, Data analysis

Portuguese context

Archaeological excavation

Human remains

Physical Anthropologist

Archaeological and Anthropological technical report

Data(base) register

Data publication

Data analysisCross data analysis

Published sporadically:- Rare bioarchaeological

cases

Compromising amount and quality of knowledge on past populations



The relevance of creating an uniform vocabulary: some data

Portuguese context

Cruz, 2011Incomplete information: - historical and/or demographic

and/or taphonomic and/or geographical and/or historical and/or funerary archaeology and/or preservation…;

Vocabulary inconsistency: - biological and/or

archaeological and/or cultural features)




Portuguese context

Preliminary report sample analysis

Indiscriminate use of terms: - Use of terms analysed as synonyms,- Use of terms analysed as different

concepts;- Both of the above;

Report sample:N=11 reports;Date: 2000-2014;

Terms:Enterramento (interment)Inumação (inhumation)Depósito (deposit)

Term Meaning

Internment

Subject + spaceDeposition typeSkeletonThe action of buryingPhysical context

InhumationThe action of buryingDeposition type

DepositInhumationThe action of burying

Region: LisbonAuthors: 9




Portuguese context

Terminology used in academic contexts:

- Antropologia física (Physical anthropology);- Bioantropologia (Bioanthropology);- Bioarqueologia (Bioarchaeology)- Antropologia biológica (Biological anthropology);

Terminology used both to designate specific scientific areas and also as synonyms for the same authors



Creating an uniform vocabulary: the difficulties

Portuguese context

- Bioarchaeology is influenced by different specific areas with specific terminology. Most scientists are not confortable to leave their academic jargon;

- The cultural diversity related with funerary practices often can’t be articulated or related with a standard and limited vocabulary creating the need to produce more terms. Other times, appropriate concepts are already defined but are not used;

- Linguistic dynamics combined with cultural specificities make difficult the translation of already defined terms in other geographic contexts;



Creating an uniform vocabulary: the strategy – first design

Portuguese context

Analysis of international examples:

- Strategies;- Terminology;

- Concepts;

Document analysis: - academic documents- technical reports

Academic and technical debate

Linguistic research

Ethnographic and cultural research

Bioarchaeological thesaurus



Portuguese contextCreating an uniform vocabulary: the strategy

Other similar work performed by the team of terminologists:

- Collection ans treatment of the Portuguese language terminology of Nanotechnology (2 vols.; 2008-2010), available online.

http://www.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/ressources/bibliotheque/dictionnaires/terminologie_nanotechnologie/francais.html




Gathering a referential corpus

Creation of panel of experts/consultants

Validation of the 1st glossary outline

Documents referred and accepted by the scientific community (papers, reports, teaching material, etc).

The scientific community is called to detect missing terms, preferred terms, missing definitions

1st terminological approach

Extraction of a basic term-list from the corpus

Using a linguistic software selection of a basic-term list and other valid information (definitions and example contextsStructuring the database; classification of terms and filing of available information




2nd terminological approach

Creation of panel of experts/consultants

Implementation

Systematic lexicographic treatment of terms after validation, and filling missing information

Preparation and online publication of the 1st edition of the Bioarhecology Glossary

Validation of a Beta edition of the glossary

The scientific community will be, once more, called to validate the selection and definition of terms

Using the terms on academic and technical documents and on formative contexts



Creating an uniform vocabulary: the desirable outcome

Portuguese context

Standardize vocabulary

Excavation protocol

More effective database update

More effective data gathering

More effective data analysis (national and international)

Better understanding and knowledge of past populations



Creating an uniform vocabulary: conclusions

Portuguese context

Very difficult process

Time consuming

Human resources demanding

Needed in order to follow the intense scientific production rhythm

Needed in order to have a more profound knowledge of past populations



ReferencesBuikstra, J. E. Ubelaker, D. H. 1994. Standards: for data collection from human skeletal remains: Proceedings of a Seminar at The Field Museum of Natural History. Arkansas,Crubézy, E.; Duday, H.; Pascal, S.; Tillier, A.-M. Courtaud, P. 1990. L'Anthropologie "de terrain": reconnaissance et interprétacion des gestes funéraires. Bulletins et Mémoire de la Societé d'Anthropologie de Paris, 2: 29-49.Crubézy, E. 2000. L'étude des sépultures, ou du monde des morts au monde des vivants. In: Ferdière, A. (ed.) Archéologie funéraire. Paris, Editions Errance: 8-54.Cruz, C.B.; Cunha, E. 2009. Reporting death in Portugal: analysing biological and cultural data from anthropological field reports and its influence on paleodemographic studies. BABAO 11th Conference. Bradford, UK.Cruz, C. B.; Cunha, E. Cabral, F. 2010. Portuguese anthropological database (inanthropos): analysing past population health status through anthropological excavation records. Anthropology and health: trends for the next decade. Life Sciences Department - University of Coimbra.Cruz, C.B. 2011. Viver a morte em Portugal: o potencial científico dos relatórios antropológicos de campo (1994-2007). PhD Dissertation. University of CoimbraCruz, C. 2013. Living through death: a multidisciplinary approach to the analysis of anthropological field reports from primary inhumation archaeological sites (Portugal). I BioAnthropological Meeting. 31st of May, 1st of June. Life Sciences Department; University of Coimbra;Cruz, C.; Cabral, F. 2013. Viver a Morte em Portugal: In anthropos uma proposta para a gestão do potencial informativo da informação dos vestígios antropológicos de campo. 8º Encontro de Utilizadores de Aplicações de Gestão do Património; 23 e 24 de Maio de 2013; Museu da Ciência da Universidade de Coimbra;Duarte, C.; Neto, F. 2010. O Novo módulo de Bioantropologia no sistema do IGESPAR, comunicação apresentada no 8.º Encontro de Arqueologia do Algarve - A Arqueologia e as outras Ciências, Câmara Municipal de Silves, Portugal, 21-23 de Outubro. Duarte, C.; Neto, F.; 2013. Vestígios humanos no sistema nacional de informação arqueológica, comunicação apresentada no II International Meeting on Archeology of Transition, The Funerary World, Universidade de Évora, Portugal 29-30 de Abril.Duday, H. 2009. The archaeology of dead: lectures in Archaeothanatology (studies in funerary archaeology). Oxford: OxbowBooks, Knüsel, C. 2014. Crouching in fear: terms of engagement for funerary remains. Journal of Social Archaeology. Vol.14(1) 26-58.Neto, F.; Duarte, C. (2013). Questions surrounding the management of human osteological remains from archaeological contexts, comunicação apresentada no I Bioanthropological Meeting - I BAM, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal, 1 de junho. Neto, F.; Caldeita, N.; Gomes, A. S.; Bragança, F. 2007. Sistemas de Informação e Gestão Arqueológica: Endovélico e SIG. In Conhecer o Património de Vila Franca de Xira – Prespectivas de Gestão de Bens Culturais. Vila Franca de Xira: Câmara Municipal de Vila Franca de Xira, pp. 117-124.Pearson, M. P. 1999. The archaeology of death and burial. Texas, Texas A&M University Press.Sprague, R. 2005. Burial Terminology: a Guide for Researchers. Oxford, AltaMira Press.



“By any other name”: Procedures for establishing terminology in bioarchaeology

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