Expert Craftswomen: A Multidisciplinary Experimental Bioarchaeological Look at Past Tiwanaku (AD 500–1100) Labor and Present Andean Expertise

To acquire a robust picture of Andean labor, this research used the skeletal evidence of labor (i.e. osteoarthritis (OA) and entheseal changes (EC)) during Tiwanaku times, modern ethnographic interviews with Indigenous Aymara people, and computer-aided motion capture (mocap). The focus was on understanding patterns of activity and comparing these deceased individuals' labors to modern Aymara traditional tasks. The skeletal remains, ethnographic evidence, and mocap of traditional activities showed that intense labors, such as farming or craft production, begin in pre-teen years. Results also revealed that many of the modern tools used are the same as those used over a thousand years ago. EC "chopping" motion was also correlated to drop spindle yarn production. Back pain was discussed in regards to spinal OA, linked to both performing strenuous tasks and advancing age. Laborers from the past and present can answer questions about gendered labor and the importance of Indigenous expert knowledge.