30 White Horses Upon a Red Hill

Time for a little lab work update. This summer, I am primarily focusing on teeth and slight variations in dental formations that can indicate genetic relationships between people. Not the most riveting work but it will (hopefully) be really helpful in figuring out who these people buried at temples were and how they knew each other!

So teeth are pretty cool and can actually tell us a lot about people. Your dentist probably knows (or at least could know) more intimate details about you than you'd think! Here are some "fun" facts about teeth...

Humans have a dental formula (the order of the types of our teeth) that is unique to Old World (Africa/Europe/Asia) primates. Ours is 2:1:2:3, which means for each quadrant of our mouth (splitting our upper and lower jaws down the middle) we have 2 incisors, 1 canine, 2 premolars (or bicisupids), and 3 molars. Having these 4 different types of teeth is pretty cool- we can tear into stuff with our incisors and canines and really grind up tough foods with those molars. Other animals have really specialized dentition (think beavers, hippos, or most carnivores) that can also tell archaeologists, zoologists, and other interested people what types of food they eat.

Notably, that 3rd molar is giving a lot of people trouble these days (why we get our "wisdom" teeth removed!) because our diets have become more refined and our mouths are getting smaller, leaving less room to cram in all those molars!

Tooth problems can also tell you a lot (and cause you a lot of trouble if you have them!). Cavities are most often related to what types of food you are eating-- we all have been lectured about eating less sugar to prevent cavities! But there are a number of other factors too that contribute to the creation of cavities, such as the "stickiness" of your food (carbs are all pretty sticky), the acidity of your mouth (which naturally varies from person to person), whether you are pregnant (which changes the amount of saliva you have- who knew??), and thickness of dental enamel. So cavities are not the MOST reliable indicator of food but can give you some ideas. Here in the Andes, cavities in the past seem to be most closely related to eating maize (corn) or chewing coca. Location of the cavity on the tooth can help you figure out which!

Another cool thing about teeth is that the exact form of your tooth is pretty variable from person to person (what I'm looking into this summer). Your lower molars can have anywhere from 4-7 cusps, for example! I've spent a lot of time looking at past teeth of course, but have also been investigating my own in the mirror, because I'm a big nerd, duh. I learned that I have 6 cusps on my first 2 bottom molars (left and right) and only 4 on my left 3rd molar. The right one still hasn't erupted, which probably means it'll stay hidden forever, unless I get it removed!

Anyway. Really interesting stuff, right?? Now go brush your teeth and don't get cavities!

Island Life

This week I spent two days on the two biggest islands in Lake Titicaca: Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna (Island of the Sun and Island of the Moon). Both have been inhabited probably for as long as the lake basin has (at least 8000 years) but have some really neat Inka architecture on both which makes for great tourist attractions! I have visited Isla del Sol before but have recently learned some cool trivia about both islands, worth sharing!

These are the Inka ruins on the Island of the Sun. The Sapa Inka (Inka king) would make annual pilgrimages to this island from Cusco. There are a few stories explaining why- one Spanish chronicler wrote that this island was the mythical Inka origin point, although few corroborate this. More likely, the Inka nobility visited this area regularly to reinforce their authority in this area (especially since the lake basin was home to some powerful polities prior to Inka conquest!). Interestingly, this island is actually called "Titikaka" in Inka legend, and this is probably where the whole lake got its name. What is modernly called Lake Titicaca is actually two large lakes, joined by a narrow strait at Tiquina. Both the upper and lower lakes have names in Aymara/Quechua (Chucuito and Winaymarka) but are collectively called Lake Titicaca today. The Island of the Sun was renamed thus by the Spanish and it persists today. Also, to complicate matters one step further, the island was called Titikaka because of a huge boulder that vaguely looks like the head of a native wild cat, the titi. Kaka means house or home. The island was thus named "the home of the titi" because of this sacred rock.  

These are the ruins on the Isla de la Luna, nicely framed by a llama (and her baby which you can see if you count the legs!). This is a smaller site overall but slightly better preserved. This was a temple run by women devoted to the empire and sun god, Inti, called Ocllakuna. They did a lot of weaving for the state and ran temples such as this one. The island as a whole has an interesting mythology behind it too (as translated from Spanish on a signpost on the island by me, so with some editorial opinion!). Called Coati originally, this island is somewhat long, skinny, and curved (thus why the Spanish called in the island of the moon). However, Inka legend actually says that this island represents a great serpent, who swam through the lake to menace Isla del Sol and eat everyone living there. Luckily, a brave Inka saw the serpent coming, hoisted up a huge boulder, and crushed the serpents head with it! This sank the snake to the depths of the lake, where it turned to stone overtime and created the island, Coati. They say that late at night you can still here the snake wriggling to try to get out under the rocks...

Characters Welcome

It's been a busy week in Copacabana- mostly in the lab and settling into that routine, but also re-discovering all of the secrets and mysteries of the town! One of the great things about travelling is the opportunity to meet diverse and interesting people. And if characters are what you are looking for, Copacabana is the place for you!

This town is a somewhat odd and constantly fluctuating mix of people- local Aymara, ex-pat Argentinians who run a lot of the tourist restaurants, Bolivian tourists from La Paz in town for weekends, European tourists passing through (and a few Americans but less so because of the visa), and a sprinkling of other long term residents. After coming here for a few years, there is a fair amount of continuity in who you see. Here are some highlights (some details obscured since ya know, everyone has the internet these days!):

--The charming and helpful local internet cafe employee. I think this guy has helped me reconnect with the world every summer I've been here and has always cheerfully taken my money to do so. He has also recently helped me (try to) make some international phone calls. When I told him that the phone wasn't working, he tried a few things, then shrugged and said "No se, parece que los Estados Unidos tienen una problema" (I don't know, looks like the United States has a problem). True on so many levels!

--The grouchy Scotsman (?) who runs a local bar. I swear, I've only ever been super polite, left tips (which is also rare here), and approached him in both English and Spanish (not to presume anything) and this guy is just chronically and reliably grouchy. Kind of nice to know some things never change!

--The ex-pat American who is living here illegally (this character tends to change every year, but there's always one). Always eager to here updates from "back home"and then expand on why living here/in South America generally has been the most existential, uplifting, "honest" experience of their lives. Also generally mistrusts any government and forms of capitalism, unless of course you want to buy some of their handmade jewelry?

--The Aymara storeowner who really does want you to buy soemthing but also just wants to get back to watching her telenovella/child/soccer match. She'll heave a big sigh when you ask questions about how much things cost or if she has a t shirt in a different size/color, but don't try to walk out without purchasing anything!  Once you've made her work for it, you better pay up. And then you will be rewarded with a big smile and a hearty "Gracias a USTEDES!"

--Any number of people yelling to advertise their taxi/minibus/bus to La Paz/Kasani/Tiquina/Cusco. Don't try to walk past certain corners without expecting to turn down rides to any number of places that you may or may not want to go. Generally destinations are shouted to a nice cadence though, so that's something.


And so many more! I guess someone could easily write a profile of the snobby archaeology student who walks around looking down on tourists or thinks she shouldn't pay a "gringa tax" (elevated prices for those who are white/not Bolivian) just because she has been here before!

Home again, home again

Hello again! I have finally arrived to Copacabana, the town where my research takes place. My few days in La Paz were restful and museum-full and now I'm (kind of) ready to get to work! (Obviously some motivation is lacking since I'm writing this rather than working!)

If any of you, dear readers, are ever in La Paz, be sure to check out Calle Jean (pictured below)! It's an older road, lined with colorful buildings, most of which contain museums, art galleries, and restaurants. The museums are all basically connected so one 10boliviano ticket (about $1.50) gets you into 5 museums! They are certainly smaller than the usual museum in the US, but have some interesting stuff. For instance, you can learn all about the war for Bolivia's coastline (did you know Bolivia used to have Pacific coastline? Reasons for why is was lost vary widely depending on who you ask and what country they are from!) or visit a museum devoted to Bolivia's national musical instruments. Pretty cool!

Copacabana is always changing-- one thing about the economy in Bolivia is that there is always money for construction! In Copa, because it is on the "tourist track" between Cusco, Peru, and La Paz, new hostels spring up every year. The newer ones are getting creative with their architecture- this one under construction looks like a snail shell, while the buildings in the background are a perfect circle and an igloo! All of these little houses are part of the small hostel, just up the hill from our house. 

The family I live with here are pretty amazing. Pablo and Juana have 4 kids: Rodrigo (14), Ariel (11), Estefany (9) and Raymi (7). They are all pretty funny and smart (Rodrigo just made it into the regional science olympiad for Astrophysics!!) and are good fun to play games with in the evening when it gets cold! Here's a picture of Estefany, Raymi, and their cousin, Christian. Some crazy American thought it was a good idea to give them nerf guns! :)

Alright, well I should probably commit to doing some lab work for the day! Happy Monday!