• Anatomy & Biological Anthropology
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.105-119
• /
• 2018

Archaeogenetics is an academic discipline that aims to establish scientific facts of human history by integrating ancient DNA analyses with archaeological and anthropological evidence. After ancient DNA research was initiated about 30 years ago, it has been innovated so rapidly that the range of analysis has been extended toward the whole genome sequence of ancient genomes in recent 10 years. By this development, researchers have been able to study in detail the origins and migration patterns of hominin species and ancient human populations by approaches of evolutionary genetics. This study has reviewed main principles of the archaeogenetic analysis and the current trends of ancient genome studies with recent achievements. While sampling techniques and statistical analyses have been improved, typical research methods have been established by the findings on hominins and ancient western Eurasia populations. Recently, archaeogenecists have been applying the methods to studying those in other geographical areas. Nonetheless, there is still the lack of ancient genome research about populations in Eastern Asia including the Korean peninsula. This review ultimately aims to predict possibilities and promise of future ancient genome studies of ancient Korean populations.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.565-572
• /
• 2016

Whilst archaeological evidence for many aspects of life in ancient China is well studied, there has been much less interest in ancient infectious diseases, such as intestinal parasites in past Chinese populations. Here, we bring together evidence from mummies, ancient latrines, and pelvic soil from burials, dating from the Neolithic Period to the Qing Dynasty, in order to better understand the health of the past inhabitants of China and the diseases endemic in the region. Seven species of intestinal parasite have been identified, namely roundworm, whipworm, Chinese liver fluke, oriental schistosome, pinworm, Taenia sp. tapeworm, and the intestinal fluke Fasciolopsis buski. It was found that in the past, roundworm, whipworm, and Chinese liver fluke appear to have been much more common than the other species. While roundworm and whipworm remained common into the late 20th century, Chinese liver fluke seems to have undergone a marked decline in its prevalence over time. The iconic transport route known as the Silk Road has been shown to have acted as a vector for the transmission of ancient diseases, highlighted by the discovery of Chinese liver fluke in a 2,000 year-old relay station in northwest China, 1,500 km outside its endemic range.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.555-563
• /
• 2016

For several years, we have conducted a series of studies on the patterns of ancient parasitism prevailing in the soil of rural and urban areas of past Kingdom of Korea. Actually, during our survey of paleoparasitology in archaeological sites of Korean peninsula, numerous ancient parasite eggs were discovered in the samples from the city districts of Hansung (Joseon) and Buyeo (Baikje), the palace moat at Gyeongju (Silla), shell-midden site at Bonghwang-dong (Silla to Joseon), and the reservoir found in Hwawangsansung fortress (Silla). By the paleoparasitological studies, with respect to parasitism in the high-density populations of ancient towns and cities, we have managed to catch glimpses of the patterns prevalent therein: a serious parasitic contamination of the soil in ancient urban areas, but not in rural areas of the past. Our historical research also proposed the plausible mechanism of parasite infection very serious indeed among urban populations in Korean history. Although city dwelling doubtless has accrued significant benefits for people and populations with agriculture, it can be equally supposed that living in such highly populated areas might have facilitated the spread of parasite infection.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.61 no.4
• /
• pp.345-387
• /
• 2023

Paleoparasitology is a discipline that applies existing conventional and molecular techniques to study parasites found in ancient ruins. This review focuses on the history of the discovery of parasites (mostly helminth eggs and larvae) in archaeological soil samples and mummies in Korea from the Three Kingdoms Period to the Joseon Dynasty (100 BCE-1910 CE). We also briefly review important milestones in global paleoparasitology. The helminth species reported so far in Korea included Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Strongyloides stercoralis (larva), Trichostrongylus sp. (larva), Paracapillaria philippinensis (syn. Capillaria philippinensis), Enterobius vermicularis, Fasciola hepatica, dicrocoeliids, Paragonimus westermani, Clonorchis sinensis, Metagonimus yokogawai, Pygidiopsis summa, Gymnophalloides seoi, Isthmiophora hortensis, Dibothriocephalus nihonkaiensis (syn. Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense), and Taenia spp. tapeworms. The findings obtained by Korean paleoparasitologists/archaeologists have brought about deep insight into the status of helminthic infections in Korea's past populations. Continued paleoparasitological research is essential for further understanding of ancient parasites and parasitic diseases in Korea.

• 보존과학연구
• /
• s.25
• /
• pp.47-74
• /
• 2004

We investigated the nucleotide substitution and insertion polymorphism of the hypervariable region Ⅰ and Ⅱ in mt DNA by sequencing ancient DNA from 51 ancient bones and teeth excavated at Nuk-do and Yimdang-dong in Korea. It revealed 35 sequence types from the ancient Korean. Of these, different sequences were 34 sequences. There were 19 and 38 base substitutions in HVI and HVⅡ, respectively. Some substitutions were characteristic of East Asian populations as compared with data reported on Caucacianpopulations,16051, 16150, 16172, 16223 in region I and 73, 263 in region II were noted as polymorphic sites, respectively. These were distributed evenly along the control region, though the frequency of each site was variable. Nucleotide substitution rather than insertion and deletion was the prevalent pattern of variation. Insertion of cytosine between312 and 315 in region HVⅡ were detected up to 98% in 51 ancient bone samples. This sequence data represents a phylogenetic tree using NTI DNA Suite computer program. The phylogenetic tree showed that mt DNA sequences of Nuk-do bones were relative to west Siberian and Indonesian. The usefulness of mt DNA sequencing in ancient Korean population excavated atarchaeological sites is based on biological and historical evidence for origin and migration of ancient Korean.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.133-139
• /
• 2010

We have performed analyses using ancient DNA extracted from 25 excavated human bones, estimating around the 1st century B.C. Ancient human bones were obtained from Nukdo Island, which is located off of the Korean peninsula of East Asia. We made concerted efforts to extract ancient DNA of high quality and to obtain reproducible PCR products, as this was a primary consideration for this extensive kind of undertaking. We performed PCR amplifications for several regions of the mitochondrial DNA, and could determine mitochondrial haplogroups for 21 ancient DNA samples. Genetic information from mitochondrial DNA belonged to super-haplogroup M, haplogroup D or its sub-haplogroups (D4 or D4b), which are distinctively found in East Asians, including Koreans or Japanese. The dendrogram and principal component analysis based on haplogroup frequencies revealed that the Nukdo population was close to those of the East Asians and clearly distinguished from populations shown in the other regions. Considering that Nukdo is geologically isolated in the southern part of the Korean peninsula and is a site of commercial importance with neighboring countries, these results may reflect genetic continuity for the habitation and migration of ethnic groups who had lived in a particular area in the past. Therefore, we suggest that phylogenetic analyses of ancient DNA have significant advantages for clarifying the origins and migrations of ethnic groups, or human races.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.35
• /
• pp.120-137
• /
• 2002

It has not been a long time since we recognize that a word 'DNA' is not unfamiliar with us. Development of biology give us so much of benefits of civilization and so we call the 21th century as 'biological period'. It has not been a long time that archeology made contact with biology. With biological development, DNA typing analysis has been accomplished extensively since 1990's. We know through mitochondrial DNA base sequencing analysis that the Neanderthal man is not the origin of the human race and ancient human race set out from Africa. Biological science technology, which is polymerase chain reaction(PCR) or electrophoresis etc., made these results possible. A contact between biology, especially genetics, and archeology is getting accomplished through these current. If genetics keep in contact with archeological foundation, we know not only about ancient populations in the Korean Peninsula, but also origin of human race. This field is so-called 'DNA Archeology'. This field is of help to person identification and children discrimination as like a forensic science. We make every effort for great possibilities from co-ownership of these two fields and these fields needs to convert a recognition, especially.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.92-105
• /
• 2014

Microbial characteristics of bacterial population were investigated in human remains and soil inside the bones in excavated grave no.4 and no.5 at Keundokgol site, Osu-ri, Buyeo. Phylogenetic characteristics of bacterial populations were analyzed by direct extracting of ancient DNA. In this study, based on the 16S rDNA sequences, in case of grave no.4, 319s from human remain were classified into 11 phyla, and 462s from soil were classified into 16 phyla. In case of grave no.5, 271s from human remain were classified into 10 phyla, and 497s from soil were classified into 11 phyla. Especially, Actinobacteria phylogenetic group are dominant group of bacterial populations in grave no.4 and no.5. Also, most of these were analyzed uncultured group. Thus, the discovery of a diversely microbial community and uncultured group was thought to be due to the specificity of the sample. Conclusively the general excavated human bones were contaminated with soil bacteria species their near around. This results contribute to preservation and management of ancient human bone from archaeological sites.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.402-415
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study is to research the ideologies of African-American hair-styles according to cultural phenomena. This is a qualitative research using the books and theses about society, culture, hair and beauty, and materials of internet. The results are; Firstly, African-Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa. About 75 percent of the dark-skinned people on this continent have hair labeled "kinky". Secondly, African hair-styles expressed Supernaturalism and Traditionalism in the formative period of African culture. African-American hair-styles reflected Colonialism in the period of slaves. African-American citizen's hair-styles showed Nationalism after 1960s' Black Pride Movement in the period of settlement in America, and expressed De-territorialism since the boom of 1970s' Reggae. Today, the wearing of dreadlocks, cornrows, and afros has transcended racial and religious barriers. No longer necessarily reflections of ancient traditions and cultural identification, they are just as often fashion items.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.57 no.6
• /
• pp.587-593
• /
• 2019

Excavation (2008-2014) carried out under the Uffizi Gallery (Florence, Italy) led to the discovery of 75 individuals, mostly buried in multiple graves. Based on Roman minted coins, the graves were preliminarily dated between the second half of the 4th and the beginning of the 5th centuries CE. Taphonomy showed that this was an emergency burial site associated with a catastrophic event, possibly an epidemic of unknown etiology with high mortality rates. In this perspective, paleoparasitological investigations were performed on 18 individuals exhumed from 9 multiple graves to assess the burden of gastrointestinal parasitism. Five out of eighteen individuals (27.7%) tested positive for ascarid-type remains; these are considered as "decorticated" Ascaris eggs, which have lost their outer mammillated coat. Roundworms (genus Ascaris) commonly infest human populations under dire sanitary conditions. Archaeological and historical evidence indicates that Florentia suffered a period of economic crisis between the end of 4th and the beginning of the 5th centuries CE, and that the aqueduct was severely damaged at the beginning of the 4th century CE, possibly during the siege of the Goths (406 CE). It is more than plausible that the epidemic, possibly coupled with the disruption of the aqueduct, deeply affected the living conditions of these individuals. A 27.7% frequency suggests that ascariasis was widespread in this population. This investigation exemplifies how paleoparasitological information can be retrieved from the analysis of sediments sampled in cemeteries, thus allowing a better assessment of the varying frequency of parasitic infections among ancient populations.