Abstract
This dissertation explores how the inhabitants of Mtwapa, Kenya, experienced the process of collapse in the East African Coast from the 15th to 17th centuries CE through examination of diet, systemic stress and trauma, and burial practices. Relying on the embodiment framework, I integrate stable isotope, osteological, and archaeothanatological data to assess how broader sociopolitical, economic, and environmental challenges were experienced at the individual and population levels. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses of human bone and dentine samples reveal a diet composed of predominantly C4 plants, terrestrial sources of protein, and limited marine resources. At Mtwapa, no significant differences across age and sex categories were observed, suggesting that macro-ingredients of diet were likely not differentiated across age or sex. Analysis of incremental dentine samples shows breastfeeding and weaning patterns as well as childhood catabolic events that highlight episodes of physiological stress during early life. Osteological evidence shows high frequencies of cranial injuries and lesions like cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, and linear enamel hypoplasia. The high prevalence of these lesions reflects that Mtwapa’s population likely experienced conflict and biosocial conditions resulting in systemic stress. Archaeothanatological analysis reveals observance of Sunni Islamic burial traditions, while the presence of pottery, faunal remains, and grave inclusions signals the incorporation of local African funerary practices. Collective burials indicate the continuation of burial among family and lineage members that emphasize corporate identities. Alternatively, multiple interments suggest that individuals were buried during moments of a high number of simultaneous deaths. Adherence to Islamic burial traditions within contexts of multiple burials further highlights the importance of Islamic religion as a shared identity facilitating a cohesive community even during periods of collapse. These data provide a bottom-up perspective on societal collapse, emphasizing the ways in which individuals embodied, enacted, and responded to transformation through daily and ritualized practices.
Committee Chair
Sarah Baitzel
Committee Members
Helina Woldekiros; Chapurukha Kusimba; Michael Frachetti; Natalie Muller; Xinyi Liu
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Author's Department
Anthropology
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
5-8-2025
Language
English (en)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7936/rxb7-zv03
Author's ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1699-7207
Recommended Citation
Haileselassie Assefa, Sewasew, "Embodying Social Collapse: Diet, Health, and Burial in the East African Urban Center of Mtwapa, Kenya (15th – 17th C)" (2025). Arts & Sciences Theses and Dissertations. 3493.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.7936/rxb7-zv03