Mtdna and Osteological Analyses of an Unknown Historical Cemetery from Upstate New York

Archaeol Anthropol Sci (2012) 4:303–311 DOI 10.1007/s12520-012-0105-4 ORIGINAL PAPER mtDNA and osteological analyses of an unknown historical cemetery from upstate New York Jennifer F. Byrnes & D. Andrew Merriwether & Joyce E. Sirianni & Esther J. Lee Received: 20 July 2012 /Accepted: 25 September 2012 /Published online: 6 October 2012 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012 Abstract Thirteen burials located on Jackson Street in Keywords Ancient DNA . Osteology . New York Native Youngstown, NY, USA were recovered from a construction Americans . Population genetics site and excavated in 1997. Based on the artifact assemblage, it was suggested that the cemetery was used sometime between the late 1700s and 1840. No historical records Introduction existed, and initial assessment of the skeletal remains was not able to determine any cultural affiliation. We carried out During a road construction project on Main Street in osteological and genetic investigations in order to gain Youngstown, NY, USA, 13 historical burials were discov- insight into ancestral affiliation and kinship of the unknown ered at the Jackson Street junction. Referred to as the individuals from the burials. Due to poor preservation of the Jackson Street Burials, they were subsequently excavated remains, dental traits and limited osteological observations after being exposed and disturbed by the backhoe and a were available for only a few individuals. We performed utility trench (Rayner-Herter 1997). Seven of the 13 burials DNA extraction and sequenced the mitochondrial DNA included coffins containing artifacts such as numerous nails (mtDNA) control region following standard ancient DNA and nail fragments, four brass straight pins, a shell button, procedures. Our results suggest that ten individuals have and glass trade beads that are likely associated with burial evidence of biological affiliation with Native Americans, clothing. No historical records existed, but based on the and in particular, four individuals have maternal Native artifact assemblage and the history of Fort Niagara with American ancestry. One male individual was determined to which the individuals were most likely associated, the burial be of European ancestry, from both the mtDNA and osteo- site was used sometime between the late 1700s and 1840 logical results. This burial may reflect admixture as a result (Rayner-Herter 1997). Background research by the of frequent contact between Native Americans and University at Buffalo’s Archaeology Survey revealed a high Europeans during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries historical sensitivity of this site, including local media and attempts by missionaries to convert Native Americans reports in 1912 and 1939 that described findings of 14 to Christianity. Our study demonstrates the usefulness of a historical burials at the intersection of Main Street and multifaceted approach through archaeological, osteological, Jackson Street but no records of what became of the remains and genetic analysis that provides valuable perspectives in (Rayner-Herter 1997). understanding the individuals buried at the Jackson Street The burial orientation of the individuals and associated Burials. grave goods provided some clues on their possible cultural affiliation. All 13 burials had the body laid in a supine : position and 11 (burials 1–10 and 13) had bodies in a J. F. Byrnes J. E. Sirianni west/east orientation with the head towards the west end of Department of Anthropology, University at Buffalo, 380 MFAC, Ellicott Complex, the grave. Individuals from burials 11 and 12 slightly devi- Buffalo, NY 14261, USA ated, showing a northwest/southeast orientation (Fig. 1). Furthermore, the two burials revealed a large quantity of : * D. A. Merriwether E. J. Lee ( ) glass trade beads that was distinctive from the other 11 Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, PO Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA burials. These beads are usually associated with historical e-mail: [email protected] Seneca sites, dating from 1745 to 1820 (Wray 1982). Based 304 Archaeol Anthropol Sci (2012) 4:303–311 on the associated artifacts and burial orientation, burials 11 aided by the advancements in DNA extraction and amplifi- and 12 were deemed Native American on site, and the cation techniques (e.g., Marshall et al. 2011; Keller et al. remains were excluded from further analysis. The local 2012). Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been more suc- Seneca tribe was contacted for the repatriation of these cessful in genetic analysis of skeletal remains, presumably remains in compliance with the Native American Graves due to the ~1,000-fold higher copy number of mtDNA than Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). nuclear DNA, though it can only be informative with Native American burials during this time period adopted regards to the maternal lineage (Giles et al. 1980). Many the extended supine burial position with the head towards studies have utilized mtDNA in understanding population the west, though not always strictly abiding by the west/east history based on its unique characteristics including no axis (Axtell 1981). Seneca tribes from northeastern North recombination, maternal inheritance, and higher mutation America were shown to bury individuals in a crouched/ rate particularly in the non-coding, control region (e.g., flexed position with a northwest orientation prior to contact Lawrence et al. 2010). Ancient DNA analysis poses addi- with Europeans (Wray et al. 1987). Transition to a west/east tional challenges, as the DNA in skeletal remains is often burial orientation started with the introduction of European degraded and exists in low copy number. Several studies burial practices, in particular associated with Christian mis- have suggested guidelines for contamination control and sionary influences on Native Americans (Wray et al. 1987). authentication of the results, though there remain differences Thus, burial orientation of the remaining 11 burials was of opinion on any standardization of methods (e.g., Kemp suggestive of Christian influence. In addition, the rectangu- and Smith 2010; Winters et al. 2011). Nevertheless, it is lar coffin outlines suggested Christian burial practices important to take additional precautions to produce reliable (Simon 1990; Baker 1994). In an effort to gain understand- results from aDNA analysis. ing of their biological and possible cultural affiliation, in- The historical context of the Jackson Street Burials vestigation of the remaining 11 individuals was carried out. presents an intriguing opportunity to investigate ancestral The initial osteological analysis of the 11 burials described affiliation of the buried individuals utilizing osteological five adults (four females and one male) and six children and molecular methods. Therefore, the goal of this study (Tables 1 and 2) (Rayner-Herter 1997). Skeletal evidence was to (1) reanalyze the skeletal remains for any osteo- showed no indication that any of the individuals had died of logical measurements or observations that may be indic- chronic infectious diseases, nutritional deficiencies, or trauma. ative of ancestry and (2) carry out DNA analysis to Therefore, any circumstances leading to the death of the address the question of biological ancestral affiliation of individuals were not observable. Initial analysis of dental traits the individuals buried at Jackson Street. The integration showed some features for ancestry determination, but was of genetic and osteological analyses may allow further insufficient without stronger supporting traits. insight to the original assessment conducted in 1997 as Various anthropological studies have shown success in well as information on kinship and possible cultural utilizing ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis, which has been affiliation. Fig. 1 Simple illustration of the Jackson Street Burial site. Numbers correspond to each burial listed in Table 1 Archaeol Anthropol Sci (2012) 4:303–311 305 Table 1 Summary of the initial osteological analysis of Jackson Burial # Orientation Depth of Coffin Status Completeness Sex Age (years) a Street Burials (Rayner-Herter of burial grave (cm) code 1997) 1 E/W 82 Present Adult 3 Female 25–35 2 E/W 72 Absent Adult 2 Male >40 3 E/W 90 Absent Adult 1 Female 20–35 4 E/W 80 Absent Child 3 ud ud 5 E/W 77 Present Child 3 ud 3 6 E/W 82 Absent Child 2 ud 5 7 E/W 87 Present Child 3 ud 2–3 8 E/W 90 Present Adult 2 Female 30–35 ud undetermined 9 E/W 85 Present Child 3 ud 5–6 aCompleteness codes: 10>75 % 10 E/W 102 Present Adult 2 Female 20–35 present; 2025–75 % present; 13 E/W 90 Present Child 3 ud 6–8 3025 % present Materials and methods PI≤84.9 are considered platymeric and those with more circular diaphyses with a PI≥84.9 are eurymeric (Wescott Osteological methods and Srikanta 2008). This method was found to be valuable for distinguishing Native Americans and American Blacks The skeletal remains were notably poorly preserved since and Whites (Wescott and Srikanta 2008). The non-metric their excavation from the site and subsequent storage and cranial observations followed the list of traits outlined in handling further contributed to the deterioration of the mate- Rhine (1990). rials. Therefore, we were only able to apply metric measurements of three femur subtrochanteric shapes and non-metric Molecular methods observations of three adult skulls (burials 2, 3, and 10). Proximal femurs were measured following the methods of Previous studies have outlined several criteria to produce Wescott and Srikanta (2008) based

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