ABSTRACT
In the previous chapters, we discussed the application of aDNA analyses to address questions about hominin evolution, modern human population expansions, and the processes of plant and animal domestication. These are questions that relate to large-scale, anthropological issues. Many archaeologists, however, may want information relating to a specific historic event, a specific archaeological site, or even a specific individual. Ancient DNA analyses can also provide valuable information to address some of these more proximate questions and allow for the reconstruction of information about individuals that cannot be determined, or determined with any certainty, using traditional archaeological or osteological methods. In this chapter we discuss some of the aDNA methods used to address issues such as health and disease or the identification of sex and other personal characteristics of individuals. We also present some interesting case studies that demonstrate the application and value of these methods.
