New York African Burial Ground Skeletal Biology Final Report, Volume 1. Chapter 2. History and Comparison of Bioarchaeological Studies in the African Diaspora

This chapter surveys the full range of bioarchaeological studies conducted on African diasporic sites in the Americas, thus providing a comparative context for the New York African Burial Ground (NYABG). Skeletal data on people of African descent living under diverse conditions throughout the Americas are described to serve as a basis for comparisons with the burials that are researched in the African Burial Ground Project. (ABGP). These earlier studies used theoretical approaches different from those we employ. This history of diverse, evolving theoretical approaches is examined as a basis for understanding the scientific and societal implications of the research team’s particular synthesis of theory (described in Chapter 3).