Bioarchaeology in Central Asia: Growing from Legacies to Enhance Future Research

Abstract

We review the historical trajectory of bioarchaeology in Central Asia to draw attention to the importance of previous archaeological and biological anthropology research that pioneered large scale systematic excavation and use of technology such as aerial photography. We highlight the political and social biases of past work and how its legacy continues to shape modern practices. We are interested in bringing these dynamics to the attention of western scholars who are increasingly focusing on Central Asian samples for research. Political ideologies, especially during the Soviet period, shaped the study of populations in Central Asia, including centering ethnogenesis as an enduring focus. Current research requires careful work by scholars to contextualize human remains within social and theoretical models of the past that continue to shape everything from access to collections to the organization of departments. Advances in molecular methods have led to an increase in studies of human remains, often focusing on panregional social, dietary, and genetic changes. However, these studies often have small sample sizes and are thinly distributed across the vast expanse of Central Asia. Researchers conducting bioarchaeological research should concentrate on the documentation of biological and material culture at the micro-regional scale to build up models of broader social processes from the bottom-up. Finally, ethical bioarchaeology in the region requires that the contributions of Central Asian scholars past and present be acknowledged and centered, and that training, research, and publication opportunities be provided for Central Asian scholars and communities.