The Mystery of August of Augustberg
Instructions: using the information provided in the “Data Set” please answer the following questions, and at the end, offer your hypothesis interpreting the data as to what happened to August of Augustberg. (75%)
1) August was found in stratum I-2. The Carbon-14 results were inconclusive, so what other method could you use to date August?
2) This is an image of August’s pelvis. Is August a male or female, and how can you tell based on the morphology?
3) This is August’s skull (the cranial vault has been removed for study purposes, it is not an injury) …
a. Can you confirm your sexing of August’s pelvis by sexing this skull? Explain how you can sex this skull by noting 2 morphological traits that demonstrate sexual dimorphism.
b. And: is August a Homo sapiens sapiens– and how can you tell?
4) What is wrong with August’s maxillary canine and first maxillary premolar?
5) What bones are injured, and did August survive this injury? How can you tell?
6) This is August’s cranium: which bone is injured, and did August survive this injury? How can you tell?
7) These crania were also found in Augustberg. Are they the same Genus and species as August? Please identify their Genus and species (as a “lumper”)
8) These lithics (stone tools) were found in Augustberg. Are they more likely to be associated with August’s remains, or the other crania found in Augustberg, and why?
9) Extracting DNA from all of the bones found in Augustberg was successful, and the unidentified bones (bones a-h) can be matched against August’s DNA. Are any of the bones found August’s?
10) Samples of DNA from modern villages near Augustberg have resulted in the following loci results. If August’s DNA results show:
i. L1 is (3,10)
ii. L2 is (3,5)
iii. L3 is (8,10)
Is August more likely to be an ancestor of the River Village or the Desert Village?
11) This child’s remains were found in Augustberg. I’ll call her Augustita. Based on these CT scans of her legs, is Augustita more likely to be 5 years old or 15 years old, and specify how you can tell based on her fusion.
12) Based on the eruption of her first adult tooth, how old is Augustita?
13) Augustita’s blood type is O. August’s blood type is AB. Can August be the parent of Augustita? Why, or why not?
14) This is the right side of August’s Cranial vault ( the saw cut and the hook are made recently for study purposes- they are not an injury).
a. Which bones of August’s skull are injured?
b. Is this August’s ‘cause of death’? How can you tell?
c. What do you think caused this injury?
15) Interpret the Data and Apply the scientific method: (25%)
1) Based on the evidence, tell me as much as you can about August’s life. Who was August, what was August’s life like, and how does it add up to a circumstantial manner of death for August? Apply the evidence to your interpretation, and tell me why you think happened to August.
2) Please write a hypothesis in If…Then format that will result in a test to prove yourself right or wrong in your interpretation of August’s manner of death.
Thank you for your efforts to solve this mystery, have a wonderful summer! ~Lisa
