Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1998

Publication Title

California Anthropologist

Volume

25

First Page

1

Last Page

7

Keywords

Sexual differences, California, hunter-gatherer, population

Disciplines

Anthropology

Abstract

This project examined the skeletal remains of a 3, 000-year-o/d preagricultural population to determine whether a sexual division of labor existed. Cortical bone remodels itself throughout an individual's lifetime in response to the stresses experienced by activity patterns. Cortical bone morphology, therefore, discloses the nature of the stresses caused by different activity patterns. Computer tomography was used to obtain femoral cross-sections for 30 females and 34 males, taken at two levels along the diaphysis of the bone in order to determine the direction from which the major bending stresses are created. Student's t-tests and Analysis of Variance were used to analyze the differences in means and variances of the ratios for the sexes. The statistical tests revealed that two of the four ratios showed a significant difference between males and females. It is suggested that males were doing more traveling than were females. Females were probably participating in food preparation close to a home base.

Comments

Copyright © 1998 Cal State L.A.

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