Assessing individual systemic stress through cortisol analysis of archaeological hair

摘要: As a product of physiological status and the social physical environments, stress has significant impact on health well-being in both ancient contemporary societies. In bioarchaeological research, is characterized using an array skeletal indicators that record stressful periods during childhood adulthood. modern clinical exposure to can be assessed systemic cortisol levels have been shown fluctuate response experienced stress. Analysis archaeological hair should enable assessment short, but critical, period individual's life. For this pilot study, we selected samples from ten individuals five different sites Peru, analyzed them segments determine levels. These data demonstrate it possible observe biogenic patterns production, individual experiences reconstructed for time represented by each sample. potential valuable short-term dynamic indicator will complement paleopathological biochemical studies stress, permit reconstruction increasingly detailed life histories.