Identification of Polynesian mtDNA haplogroups in remains of Botocudo Amerindians from Brazil.

There is a consensus that modern humans arrived in the Americas 15,000-20,000 y ago during the Late Pleistocene, most probably from northeast Asia through Beringia. However, there is still debate about the time of entry and number of migratory waves, including apparent inconsistencies between genetic and morphological data on Paleoamericans. Here we report the identification of mitochondrial sequences belonging to haplogroups characteristic of Polynesians in DNA extracted from ancient skulls of the now extinct Botocudo Indians from Brazil. The identification of these two Polynesian haplogroups was confirmed in independent replications in Brazil and Denmark, ensuring reliability of the data. Parallel analysis of 12 other Botocudo individuals yielded only the well-known Amerindian mtDNA haplogroup C1. Potential scenarios to try to help understand these results are presented and discussed. The findings of this study may be relevant for the understanding of the pre-Columbian and/or post-Columbian peopling of the Americas.

Human mobility on the Brazilian coast: an analysis of strontium isotopes in archaeological human remains from Forte Marechal Luz Sambaqui.

This study investigated strontium isotopes in the dental enamel of 32 human skeletons from Forte Marechal Luz sambaqui (shellmound), Santa Catarina, Brazil, aiming at identifying local and non-local individuals. The archeological site presents pot sherds in the uppermost archeological layers. Dental enamel was also examined from specimens of terrestrial fauna ((87)Sr/(86)Sr = 0.71046 to 0.71273) and marine fauna ((87)Sr/(86)Sr = 0.70917). The (87)Sr/(86)Sr isotope ratio for individuals classified as locals ranged from 0. 70905 to 0. 71064 and was closer to the isotope ratio of the seawater than to the ratio of the terrestrial fauna, indicating a strong influence of marine strontium on the inhabitants of this sambaqui. The results indicate the existence of three non-local individuals ((87)Sr/(86)Sr = 0.70761 to 0.70835), buried in both the level without pottery and the layer with pottery, possibly originated from the Santa Catarina Plateau, close to the municipality of Lages, or from the Curitiba Plateau. The occurrence of a slight difference between the isotope ratios of local individuals buried in the archeological layer without pottery, when compared to those in the layer with pottery, suggests a possible change in dietary patterns between these two moments in the site's occupation.

[Crania, bodies, and measurements: formation of the collection of anthropometric instruments at the Museu Nacional in the late nineteenth/early twentieth century]. / Crânios, corpos e medidas: a constituição do acervo de instrumentos antropométricos do Museu Nacional na passagem do século XIX para o XX.

Analyzes the formation of the collection of scientific instruments at the Museu Nacional's Biological Anthropology Sector (previously known as the Physical Anthropology Division), Brazil. It focuses on the instruments used for anthropometric measurements. By drawing relations between this collection and other of the institution's biological anthropology collections, as well as the activities of Museu Nacional researchers within their sociopolitical and academic contexts, we arrive at a privileged view of the scientific methods and theories in use in the final decades of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth.

Tuberculosis in post-contact Native Americans of Brazil: Paleopathological and paleogenetic evidence from the Tenetehara-Guajajara.

Tuberculosis (TB) has been described in Native American populations prior to the arrival of European explorers, and in Brazilian populations dating from the Colonial Period. There are no studies demonstrating TB infection in native Brazilians, and the history and epidemiological scenario of TB in Brazil is still unknown. The aim of this study was to verify the presence of TB infection among the native Tenetehara-Guajajara population from Maranhão State, Brazil, 210 ± 40 years ago. A Tenetehara-Guajajara skeleton collection was submitted to paleopathological analysis, and rib bone samples (n = 17) were used for paleogenetic analysis based on Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) targets. Porotic hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia were found in 10 and 13 individuals, respectively. Maternal ancestry analysis revealed Native American mtDNA haplogroups A and C1 in three individuals. Three samples showed osteological evidence suggestive of TB. katG and mtp40 sequences were detected in three individuals, indicating probable TB infection by two MTC lineages. Tuberculosis infection in the Tenetehara-Guajajara population since the 18th century points to a panorama of the disease resulting, most probably, from European contact. However, the important contribution of African slaves in the population of Maranhão State, could be also considered as a source of the disease. This study provides new data on TB during the Brazilian Colonial Period. This is the first report integrating paleopathological and paleogenetic data for the study of TB in Brazil.

Early human dispersals within the Americas.

Studies of the peopling of the Americas have focused on the timing and number of initial migrations. Less attention has been paid to the subsequent spread of people within the Americas. We sequenced 15 ancient human genomes spanning from Alaska to Patagonia; six are ≥10,000 years old (up to ~18× coverage). All are most closely related to Native Americans, including those from an Ancient Beringian individual and two morphologically distinct "Paleoamericans." We found evidence of rapid dispersal and early diversification that included previously unknown groups as people moved south. This resulted in multiple independent, geographically uneven migrations, including one that provides clues of a Late Pleistocene Australasian genetic signal, as well as a later Mesoamerican-related expansion. These led to complex and dynamic population histories from North to South America.

Two ancient human genomes reveal Polynesian ancestry among the indigenous Botocudos of Brazil.

Understanding the peopling of the Americas remains an important and challenging question. Here, we present (14)C dates, and morphological, isotopic and genomic sequence data from two human skulls from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, part of one of the indigenous groups known as 'Botocudos'. We find that their genomic ancestry is Polynesian, with no detectable Native American component. Radiocarbon analysis of the skulls shows that the individuals had died prior to the beginning of the 19th century. Our findings could either represent genomic evidence of Polynesians reaching South America during their Pacific expansion, or European-mediated transport.

Recovering mitochondrial DNA lineages of extinct Amerindian nations in extant homopatric Brazilian populations.

BACKGROUND: Brazilian Amerindians have experienced a drastic population decrease in the past 500 years. Indeed, many native groups from eastern Brazil have vanished. However, their mitochondrial mtDNA haplotypes, still persist in Brazilians, at least 50 million of whom carry Amerindian mitochondrial lineages. Our objective was to test whether, by analyzing extant rural populations from regions anciently occupied by specific Amerindian groups, we could identify potentially authentic mitochondrial lineages, a strategy we have named 'homopatric targeting'. RESULTS: We studied 173 individuals from Queixadinha, a small village located in a territory previously occupied by the now extinct Botocudo Amerindian nation. Pedigree analysis revealed 74 unrelated matrilineages, which were screened for Amerindian mtDNA lineages by restriction fragment length polymorphism. A cosmopolitan control group was composed of 100 individuals from surrounding cities. All Amerindian lineages identified had their hypervariable segment HVSI sequenced, yielding 13 Amerindian haplotypes in Queixadinha, nine of which were not present in available databanks or in the literature. Among these haplotypes, there was a significant excess of haplogroup C (70%) and absence of haplogroup A lineages, which were the most common in the control group. The novelty of the haplotypes and the excess of the C haplogroup suggested that we might indeed have identified Botocudo lineages. To validate our strategy, we studied teeth extracted from 14 ancient skulls of Botocudo Amerindians from the collection of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro. We recovered mtDNA sequences from all the teeth, identifying only six different haplotypes (a low haplotypic diversity of 0.8352 ± 0.0617), one of which was present among the lineages observed in the extant individuals studied. CONCLUSIONS: These findings validate the technique of homopatric targeting as a useful new strategy to study the peopling and colonization of the New World, especially when direct analysis of genetic material is not possible.

Human mobility on the Brazilian coast: an analysis of strontium isotopes in archaeological human remains from Forte Marechal Luz Sambaqui

This study investigated strontium isotopes in the dental enamel of 32 human skeletons from Forte Marechal Luz sambaqui (shellmound), Santa Catarina, Brazil, aiming at identifying local and non-local individuals. The archeological site presents pot sherds in the uppermost archeological layers. Dental enamel was also examined from specimens of terrestrial fauna (87Sr/86Sr = 0. 71046 to 0. 71273) and marine fauna (87Sr/86Sr = 0. 70917). The 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio for individuals classified as locals ranged from 0. 70905 to 0. 71064 and was closer to the isotope ratio of the seawater than to the ratio of the terrestrial fauna, indicating a strong influence of marine strontium on the inhabitants of this sambaqui. The results indicate the existence of three non-local individuals (87Sr/86Sr = 0. 70761 to 0. 70835), buried in both the level without pottery and the layer with pottery, possibly originated from the Santa Catarina Plateau, close to the municipality of Lages, or from the Curitiba Plateau. The occurrence of a slight difference between the isotope ratios of local individuals buried in the archeological layer without pottery, when compared to those in the layer with pottery, suggests a possible change in dietary patterns between these two moments in the site's occupation.

O presente estudo investigou isótopos de estrôncio em esmalte dentário de 32 remanescentes humanos do sambaqui do Forte Marechal Luz, Santa Catarina, Brasil, com o objetivo de identificar indivíduos locais e não-locais. O sítio arqueológico apresenta fragmentos de cerâmica em suas camadas arqueológicas mais recentes. Além das amostras humanas, foram analisadas amostras de esmalte dentário de espécimes de fauna terrestre (87Sr/86Sr = 0,71046 a 0,71273) e fauna marinha (87Sr/86Sr = 0,70917). A razão 87Sr/86Sr dos indivíduos classificados como locais variou de 0,70905 a 0,71064, sendo próxima a razão de estrôncio existente nos oceanos e distante da razão obtida para a fauna terrestre do mesmo sítio, indicando uma influência marinha na origem do estrôncio dos habitantes desse sambaqui. Foram identificados de três indivíduos não locais (87Sr/86Sr = 0,70761 a 0,70835), sepultados em ambas camadas arqueológicas sem evidência e com evidência de cerâmica. Estes indivíduos podem ter origem no planalto catarinense, no entorno do município de Lages, ou do planalto curitibano. A ocorrência de uma pequena diferença entre as razões isotópicas dos indivíduos locais sepultados nas camadas sem evidência de cerâmica, daqueles sepultados nas camadas ceramistas, sugere a possibilidade de uma mudança nos padrões de alimentação entre esses dois momentos de ocupação do sítio.

Projeto ciência até os ossos: primeiras atividades e desafios / Science to the bones project: first activities and challenges

No projeto Ciência até os ossos temos como objetivo contribuir para o desenvolvimento de estratégias de divulgação científica, especialmente na área da Antropologia Biológica. Neste artigo, fizemos um balanço de três de anos de realização de atividades pedagógicas voltadas para eventos com audiência de perfil variado, a saber, a comemoração do aniversário do Museu Nacional, evento no qual a instituição, seus departamentos e laboratórios desenvolvem e apresentam, ao público em geral, diversas atividades durante três dias. Assim, a partir do desenvolvimento, aplicação e reformulação de quatro atividades diferentes, voltadas desde o público infantil até o jovem e adulto, faz-se premente um balanço dos êxitos e desafios particulares à divulgação científica em Antropologia Biológica.

Arquivo de Antropologia Física do Museu Nacional: fontes para a história da eugenia no Brasil / The National Museum's physical anthropology archive: sources on the history of eugenics in Brazil

Apresenta um conjunto de fontes documentais que integram o Arquivo de Antropologia Física, de responsabilidade do Setor de Antropologia Biológica do Museu Nacional/UFRJ. O arquivo contém importante documentação sobre o Primeiro Congresso Brasileiro de Eugenia, realizado em 1929, no Rio de Janeiro, em comemoração ao centenário da Academia Nacional de Medicina. Além de originais dos trabalhos apresentados no evento - alguns inéditos -, constam também nesse arquivo documentos reunidos pela secretaria do Congresso, como convocações para a sua realização, ficha dos inscritos, correspondências, recortes de jornais e revistas com artigos sobre eugenia, bem como moções, relatórios e atas finais, constituindo acervo fundamental para a compreensão da história da eugenia no Brasil.

The article presents a set of documental sources that are part of the physical anthropology archive administered by the National Museum's biological anthropology sector (UFRJ). The archive holds important documentation on the first Brazilian congress of eugenics, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1929, in celebration of the National Academy of Medicine centennial. In addition to the originals of papers presented at the event (some unpublished), the archive also contains a series of documents compiled by the congress organizers, including announcements of the event, attendee registrations, correspondence, newspaper and magazine clippings of articles on eugenics, as well as motions, reports, and final minutes, all of which makes this collection invaluable in understanding the history of eugenics in Brazil.

Crânios, corpos e medidas: a constituição do acervo de instrumentos antropométricos do Museu Nacional na passagem do século XIX para o XX / Crania, bodies, and measurements: formation of the collection of anthropometric instruments at the Museu Nacional in the late nineteenth/early twentieth century

Aborda o processo de constituição do acervo de instrumentos científicos do Setor de Antropologia Biológica (antiga Divisão de Antropologia Física) do Museu Nacional. Prioriza-se a análise da coleção de instrumentos de antropometria. Pensar o instrumental de medição antropométrica relacionando-o com as demais coleções do acervo de antropologia biológica e com a atuação dos pesquisadores do Museu Nacional, em seus respectivos contextos sociopolíticos e acadêmicos, oferece uma visão privilegiada do panorama científico na passagem do século XIX para o XX.

Analyzes the formation of the collection of scientific instruments at the Museu Nacional's Biological Anthropology Sector (previously known as the Physical Anthropology Division), Brazil. It focuses on the instruments used for anthropometric measurements. By drawing relations between this collection and other of the institution's biological anthropology collections, as well as the activities of Museu Nacional researchers within their sociopolitical and academic contexts, we arrive at a privileged view of the scientific methods and theories in use in the final decades of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth.

Marcadores de estresse ocupacional (MEO): ferramentas para reconstrução de padrões de atividade física em populações pré-históricas / Occupational stress markers (OSM): tools for activity patterns reconstruction in prehistoric populations

Este trabalho apresenta a revisão da literatura referente aos marcadores de estresse ocupacional e discute seu potencial informativo. Apesar da necessidade de estudos mais detalhados envolvendo atividade física e resposta óssea ao estresse mecânicopostural, confirma-se a perspectiva de que tais marcadores são capazes de fornecer subsídios relevantes para a reconstrução dos padrões de atividade e estresse físico em populações pretéritas.

A arquitetura óssea e o contexto biocultural: estudo de caso em restos esqueléticos / Bone architecture and biocultural context: case study of skeletal remains

Os autores relacionaram a arquitetura trabecular do calcâneo e da epífise distal do rádio à atividade física e ao estado nutricional, em dois conjuntos de remanescentes esqueléticos: a série recuperada no Sambaqui do Forte Marechal Luz (SC) com antiguidade estimada em 800 anos antes do presente (AP) e a série Guajajara (MA) com antiguidade estimada em 200 AP. Tais séries representam estilos de vida, estratégias de subsistência e inserções ambientais distintas. O trabalho fundamentou-se no fato de que a plasticidade do osso trabecular permite que a sua morfologia se adapte às solicitações do cotidiano dos indivíduos. A aplicação da Transformada Rápida de Fourier em imagens radiográficas do calcâneo e rádio gerou espectros de freqüência para quantificação trabecular. A análise comparativa da morfologia óssea mostrou que na série do Sambaqui do Forte, as atividades, para o membro superior eram desigualmente distribuídas entre os sexos. Já no grupo Tenetehara, as diferenças observadas sugerem uma maior demanda mecânico-muscular para os membros inferiores dos sexo feminino.

Crânios, corpos e medidas: a constituição do acervo de instrumentos antropométricos do Setor de Antropologia Biológica do Museu Nacional no fim do século XIX - início do século XX / Skulls, bodies, and measures: the formation of the collection of anthropometric instruments of the Setor de Antropologia Biológica of the Museu Nacional in the end of the XIX century - beginning of the XX century

Se há um símbolo que encapsula a história da antropologia física, talvez seja aquele de um crânio associado a um compasso para medição craniométrica. Na segunda metade do século XIX e no início do XX, na fase áurea da antropologia física, houve intensa geração de aparatos tecnológicos, sobretudo na Alemanha e na França, para determinação das características corporais. As medidas craniana talvez tenham sido as que mais se notabilizaram, mas foram desenvolvidos pelos antropólogos físicos equipamentos para escrutinar praticamente todas as partes do corpo, incluindo cor dos olhos, formato das orelhas, tamanho do nariz, e assim por diante. Este capítulo é um ensaio sobre a coleção de instrumentos antropométricos do Setor de Antropologia Biológica do Museu Nacional. Muito mais do que descrever a coleção, o interesse foi refletir sobre a história da disciplina no Brasil tomando como eixo de análise os instrumentos utilizados nas pesquisas, tratando-os como fontes históricas.