The Occurrence and Interpretation of Trauma at the Larson Site, 39WW2, Walworth County, South Dakota

Traumatic injury is one of the most common forms of pathology seen in skeletal collections. Because of its frequent occurrence and the types of behavior, such as warfare, athletics, and accidents, that cause these injuries, trauma is a useful indicator of the kinds of behavior of a study group. The purpose of this research was to examine the skeletons from the Larson (39WW2) site cemetery and village in an attempt to determine the kinds of behavior patterns suggested by the traumatic injuries present in the samples. A brief review of the demography of the Larson collections, age and sex determination using morphological criteria, and determination of the minimum number of individuals in the commingled village sample was undertaken prior to a discussion of the trauma present. Based on the etiology and appearance of the injuries, trauma was categorized into one of the following eight categories: fractures, scalping, projectile points, localized periostitis and osteosclerosis, traumatic dislocations, sprains and avulsions, heterotopic bone formations, and unknown trauma. A summary of the findings shows that fractures were the most frequent form of injury in both of the Larson samples. Most were of probable accidental origin, and suggest regular participation by most of the injured in athletic or related activities. Scalping was of low frequency in the cemetery, and of much higher incidence in the village. This supports the reports of historians that the Arikara were participants in the intermittent warfare reported for the late eighteenth century. Projectile point injuries occurred only in the cemetery and in very low numbers. This could be due to the skill with which such injuries were treated by Indian medicine men. These injuries offer further support for the participation of the Arikara in the intermittent warfare characteristic of the eighteenth century. Localized periostitis occurs in low frequencies in both Larson samples. This is not unexpected since only in cases of severe blows or similar injuries would periostitis be severe enough to be visible osteologically. Dislocations of traumatic origin are also low, which would be expected since only in severe cases or in joints repeatedly injured, would deformity occur. Also, it has been reported that the American Indian was very skillful in the reduction and treatment of traumatic dislocations. Sprains and avulsion injuries were also of low occurrence. Here too, only in cases of repeated or severe injury would these conditions be visible in osteological samples. Heterotopic bone formations were of rather high occurrence in both of the Larson samples, suggesting that victims were subjected to rather severe blows to extremities or other vulnerable sites. Unknown trauma was a category created by this researcher to account for those cases of probable trauma where the exact processes responsible for such injuries could not be identified. A large number of injuries from both Larson samples were classified into this category, and most are probably due to accidents. From the previous review of the traumatic injuries occurring in both of the Larson samples it can be observed that most are probably the result of accidents. Since the Arikara were reported to have been active in horseback riding and sports, it is reasonable to suggest that many of the accidental injuries seen in the cemetery were due to this. Many of the village injuries, especially scalping, suggested a war related cause, and it is probable that the final village occupation ended in a massacre. Some of the cemetery injuries can also be attributed to warfare participation, which has been reported by historians of the eighteenth century. From the present research it can be seen that pathology studies, particularly those of trauma, can yield useful information regarding the behavior patterns of skeletal populations. This approach can be especially useful in the absence of ethnographic records for a population