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Catastrophic decline of Indigenous populations in the Americas following European contact is one of the most severe demographic events in the history of humanity, but uncertainty persists about the timing and scale of the collapse, which has implications for not only Indigenous history but also the understanding of historical ecology. A long-standing hypothesis that a continent-wide pandemic broke out immediately upon the arrival of Spanish seafarers has been challenged in recent years by a model of regional epidemics erupting asynchronously, causing different rates of population decline in different areas. Some researchers have suggested that, in California, significant depopulation occurred during the first two centuries of the post-Columbus era, which led to a "rebound" in native flora and fauna by the time of sustained European contact after 1769. Here, we combine a comprehensive prehistoric osteological dataset (n = 10,256 individuals) with historic mission mortuary records (n = 23,459 individuals) that together span from 3050 cal BC to AD 1870 to systematically evaluate changes in mortality over time by constructing life tables and conducting survival analysis of age-at-death records. Results show that a dramatic shift in the shape of mortality risk consistent with a plague-like population structure began only after sustained contact with European invaders, when permanent Spanish settlements and missions were established ca. AD 1770. These declines reflect the syndemic effects of newly introduced diseases and the severe cultural disruption of Indigenous lifeways by the Spanish colonial system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tests the hypothesis that the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (MCA) resulted in resource stress and a decline in health in prehistoric California. Data were collected on the human remains (n = 98) from Canyon Oaks in Pleasanton, California. This analysis focuses on stature, linear enamel hypoplasias (LEH), dental caries, and evidence of violence in order to interpret patterns of growth stress, diet, and interpersonal violence in relationship to climatic changes. Statistical treatment reveals little diachronic change in the occurrence of stature, LEH, or interpersonal violence. However, the prevalence of dental caries shows significant temporal and sexual differences. These results suggest a substantive shift in diet during the MCA, without accompanying changes in growth stress or violence. It appears that this population mitigated stress through cultural and social means of buffering environmental changes. These findings underscore the role of the environment in prehistory, and the complexity of human responses to stress and climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periosteal reactions, porotic hyperostosis, and cribra orbitalia have been traditionally used in bioarchaeological studies as indicators of poor "health." However, the etiology of these conditions is greatly debated, not to mention the fact that the presence of these non-specific indicators of disease may in fact represent individuals who were able to combat the insult. Bone is limited in the way it can respond; therefore, the osteoblastic and osteoclastic responses involved in these indicators can represent a range of responses to stress (nutritional or environmental), disease, trauma, or congenital conditions. The clinical literature is quite varied on the cause of these skeletal conditions. With a reinterpretation of these pathological conditions in mind, we evaluate data on these three osteological markers of stress in a large skeletal sample from central California (n = 3000+) spanning nearly 5000 years (3050 BC – AD 1899). While there are temporal and regional trends in these skeletal markers, they do not always correspond to known periods of stress (e.g., environmental disruptions, European contact), and do not correspond with each other in terms of prevalence. We, therefore, offer an alternative explanation of these pathological conditions in light of these findings. Patterns of periosteal reactions may be a marker of survivability as they are most commonly seen in older individuals and decrease in times of extreme stress. Patterns of cribra orbitalia and porotic hyperostosis tend to track with times of stress; however, they are predominately seen in old adults. The lack of detailed data collection further makes their interpretation difficult. • Stress and health are complicated phenomena to interpret in bioarchaeology. • Traditional nonspecific stress indicators do not always correspond to stress. • Interpretations of past health and stress should incorporate clinical literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catastrophic decline of Indigenous populations in the Americas following European contact is one of the most severe demographic events in the history of humanity, but uncertainty persists about the timing and scale of the collapse, which has implications for not only Indigenous history but also the understanding of historical ecology. A long-standing hypothesis that a continent-wide pandemic broke out immediately upon the arrival of Spanish seafarers has been challenged in recent years by a model of regional epidemics erupting asynchronously, causing different rates of population decline in different areas. Some researchers have suggested that, in California, significant depopulation occurred during the first two centuries of the post-Columbus era, which led to a "rebound" in native flora and fauna by the time of sustained European contact after 1769. Here, we combine a comprehensive prehistoric osteological dataset ( n = 10,256 individuals) with historic mission mortuary records ( n = 23,459 individuals) that together span from 3050 cal BC to AD 1870 to systematically evaluate changes in mortality over time by constructing life tables and conducting survival analysis of age-at-death records. Results show that a dramatic shift in the shape of mortality risk consistent with a plague-like population structure began only after sustained contact with European invaders, when permanent Spanish settlements and missions were established ca. AD 1770. These declines reflect the syndemic effects of newly introduced diseases and the severe cultural disruption of Indigenous lifeways by the Spanish colonial system., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interest.