A life history of a female hunter from Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov (Karelia, Russia)

• Main Authors: Mannermaa, Kristiina, Arppe, Laura, Batanina, Olga, Hardy, Karen, Eckelmann, Rebekka, Kirkinen, Tuija, Macane, Aija, Roiha, Johanna, Treuillot, Julien
• Other Authors: Lahelma, Antti, Lavento, MIka, Ahola, Marja, Holmqvist, Elisabeth, Nordqvist, Kerkko, Department of Cultures, Faculty Common Matters (Faculty of Arts), Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Natural Sciences Unit, Archaeology, Laboratory of Forest Resources Management and Geo-information Science, Stable Isotope Systematics
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: 615 History and Archaeology; Life histories; Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov; Mesolithic; Karelia; stable isotopes; paleopathology; traceology; bone projectile points; karelia*
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10138/565940

Here we study the life history of a 25–35-year-old woman buried at the Late Mesolithic cemetery of Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov in Karelia. Our study involves osteological analysis of the human skeletal materials, sequential isotopic analysis and macroscopic investigation of bone projectile points found in the grave. We suggest that she could have been a hunter. Her diet was based on freshwater fish, hunted animals, and gathered plants. However, it was likely to have been seasonally variable. She was in good health, based on morphological evidence, but a DNA-analysis revealed that she carried the hepatitis B virus. Peer reviewed