Hoyme and Bass] SKELETAL REMAINS 365 



each of these probably leaves its own individual combination of mark- 

 ings on the bones. To determine postural habits with any probability 

 of accuracy, one would have to follow the procedure of Charles ( 1894) , 

 and Angel (1946) and systematically observe all of the lower trunk — 

 the ilium, acetabulum, femur, knee, and ankle, as well as the shape 

 of the tibial shaft. The Occaneechi skeletons, unfortunately, are 

 neither complete enough nor numerous enough to make this procedure 

 worth while. Nevertheless, change in postural habit may be a partial 

 explanation of the difference in form of the tibial shaft. 



Change in diet is another possible explanation for the difference in 

 the form of the tibial shaft at the two sites. Buxton (1938) noted 

 that platycnemia and platymeria were often associated with flattening 

 of the humerus and radius, and proposed that "assuming the area for 

 the muscles is kept practically constant, less actual bone substance 

 is required for the construction of the shaft of a flattened bone than 

 of a cylindrical one" (pp. 34-35). Although the condition of the Oc- 

 caneechi skeletons makes it impractical to attempt correlations paral- 

 leling Buxton's, there is other evidence supporting this hypothesis. 

 Differences in diet, and the increase in height in the Clarksville males 

 have already been discussed, supporting the possibility of subnutrition 

 among the Tollifero people. Marked anteroposterior bowing of the 

 tibiae was seen among the skeletons from both sites. At the Clarks- 

 ville site, this bowing was usually accompanied by inflammatory 

 changes, apparently of nutritional origin. Since many of the bowed 

 Tollifero tibiae seem to show similar inflammatory changes, nutri- 

 tional factors may also have contributed to the platycnemia. 



Before comparing the Occaneechi skeletal material with that from 

 other Southeastern sites, the few burials which may have come from 

 earlier populations should be considered. These were found either 

 under house floors or under layers of river sand. The stratigraphic 

 evidence alone is insufficient to indicate whether the burials were made 

 during the early years of occupation, or long before. At the Tollifero 

 site, the remains of an adult male and an infant (USNM 380917, -918) 

 were found together in a single pit. The male skull is one of the 

 narrowest of the Tollifero series, and the teeth show the pattern of 

 wear typical at this site. Long bone length is about average. The 

 strongest evidence for these skeletons belonging to the Tollifero popu- 

 lation, however, lies in the nature of the burial, for two other graves 

 containing the bundled bones of an adult male and the body of an 

 infant were found at this site. The three Clarksville burials (USNM 

 380861, -862 and -869) were found in individual graves. The skull 

 of the first is wider than average for this population, but the flattened 

 tibiae of the last approach the Tollifero range. Nevertheless, the 

 pattern of tooth wear and decay in all three, and the manner of burial 



