Sarah is a PhD candidate in biological anthropology at the University of Auckland. Sarah's interests primarily focusses on palaeodiet reconstruction and in particular, what inter-individual variation in diet can tell us about the lives of past peoples. Her research involves using a multi-faceted approach including stable isotope, dental pathology, ethnographic and dental microwear texture analyses to better understand variation in the diet of hunter-gatherers on the Murray River, South Australia, across the Holocene.
What is it that drew you to this research?
Throughout my Honours and Masters I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work in Mongolia studying the links between nomadic pastoralism and patterns of palaeopathology during the Bronze Age. Through this research I started to realise just how inextricably linked diet and subsistence were with so many other aspects of life and society. It was clear however, that palaeopathology was only ever going to be able to tell a very small part of that story, so when the opportunity arose to join a project that would allow for a broader range of analyses, in particular stable isotope analysis, I jumped at the chance.
What are your career goals and aspirations?
In the immediate future once my PhD is completed I would like to continue exploring some of the possibilities of isotopic analysis through a post-doctoral fellowship. Throughout my PhD I have also been doing consultant osteoarchaeological work across New Zealand and that is something that I would like to continue to do in some capacity.
What are you most proud about so far in terms of your achievements?
I think I am most proud of the efforts of our current project team to develop and implement a research strategy with a central focus on genuine community collaboration and engagement and the benefits that we have seen as a result.
What is one thing that you have found surprising while researching your focus?
There have been so many things, but one that constantly surprises me is the seemingly unending possibilities and applications of isotopic analyses.
What is one thing about your research you want people to take away with them?
One of the main things I would like people to take away from my research is the value of analysing variation at the level of the individual (both inter- and intra-) in bioarchaeological research. Population level analyses provide valuable information, but individual level analysis can allow for more nuance in interpretation and offers the ability to address different sets of questions.
PUBLICATIONS
Karstens, S., Littleton, J., Frohlich, B., Amgaluntugs, T., Pearlstein, K., Hunt, D., 2018. A Palaeopathological Analysis of Skeletal Remains from Bronze Age Mongolia. Homo – Journal of Comparative Human Biology69(6):324-334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchb.2018.11.002
Littleton, J., Amgalantugs, T., Karstens, S., Pearlstein, K., Carroll, B., Hunt, D., Frohlich, B., 2015. Human Remains from Bronze Age Khirigsuurs in Khuvsgul: A Preliminary Description. Studia Archaeologica, 35(3):1-12.
Littleton, J., Floyd, B., Frohlich, B., Dickson, M., Amgalantogs, T., Karstens, S. Pearlstein, K., 2012. Taphonomic Analysis of Bronze Age Burials in Mongolian Khirigsuurs. Journal of Archaeological Science 39(11):3361-3370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2012.06.004
Karstens, S. 2011.Pastoralism and the Health of Prehistoric People: A Palaeopathological Analysis. MA Thesis, University of Auckland, Auckland.
Frohlich, B., Amgalantugs, T., Littleton, J., Ganbat, G., Hunt, D., Nittler, E., Karstens, S., Frohlich, T. and E. Batchatar. 2010. An Overview of Theories and Hypotheses Pertaining to Mongolian Bronze Age Khirigsuurs in the Hovsgol Aimag, Mongolia. Studia Archaeologicae.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Karstens, S., Allen, H., Littleton, J., 2018. The Bioarchaeology of Mobility: Addressing Issues of Time and Distance. NZAA/AAA Annual Meeting, Auckland.
Smith, C.B., Littleton, J., Karstens S., 2017. Dental Microwear Texture and Diet: A Comparison with Isotopic Data. Australian Archaeology Association Meetings, Melbourne.
Karstens, S., Littleton, J., Frohlich, B., Amgaluntugs, T., Pearlstein, K., 2017. Palaeopathological Indicators of Mounted Pastoralism during the Mongolian Bronze Age. American Association of Physical Anthropology Annual Conference, New Orleans.
Karstens, S., 2016. Analysing the diet of hunter-gatherers on the Murray River: The importance and complexity of reconstructing a stable isotope ecology. Australasian Society for Human Biology Annual Conference, Dunedin.
Karstens, S., 2015. The viability of using individual level stable carbon and isotope analysis to study hunter-gatherer behavioural flexibility at Roonka, South Australia. Australasian Society for Human Biology Annual Conference, Brisbane.
Karstens, S., 2010. Pastoralism and the health of prehistoric people: A palaeopathological analysis. Australasian Society for Human Biology Annual Conference, Auckland
What is it that drew you to this research?
Throughout my Honours and Masters I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work in Mongolia studying the links between nomadic pastoralism and patterns of palaeopathology during the Bronze Age. Through this research I started to realise just how inextricably linked diet and subsistence were with so many other aspects of life and society. It was clear however, that palaeopathology was only ever going to be able to tell a very small part of that story, so when the opportunity arose to join a project that would allow for a broader range of analyses, in particular stable isotope analysis, I jumped at the chance.
What are your career goals and aspirations?
In the immediate future once my PhD is completed I would like to continue exploring some of the possibilities of isotopic analysis through a post-doctoral fellowship. Throughout my PhD I have also been doing consultant osteoarchaeological work across New Zealand and that is something that I would like to continue to do in some capacity.
What are you most proud about so far in terms of your achievements?
I think I am most proud of the efforts of our current project team to develop and implement a research strategy with a central focus on genuine community collaboration and engagement and the benefits that we have seen as a result.
What is one thing that you have found surprising while researching your focus?
There have been so many things, but one that constantly surprises me is the seemingly unending possibilities and applications of isotopic analyses.
What is one thing about your research you want people to take away with them?
One of the main things I would like people to take away from my research is the value of analysing variation at the level of the individual (both inter- and intra-) in bioarchaeological research. Population level analyses provide valuable information, but individual level analysis can allow for more nuance in interpretation and offers the ability to address different sets of questions.
PUBLICATIONS
Karstens, S., Littleton, J., Frohlich, B., Amgaluntugs, T., Pearlstein, K., Hunt, D., 2018. A Palaeopathological Analysis of Skeletal Remains from Bronze Age Mongolia. Homo – Journal of Comparative Human Biology69(6):324-334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchb.2018.11.002
Littleton, J., Amgalantugs, T., Karstens, S., Pearlstein, K., Carroll, B., Hunt, D., Frohlich, B., 2015. Human Remains from Bronze Age Khirigsuurs in Khuvsgul: A Preliminary Description. Studia Archaeologica, 35(3):1-12.
Littleton, J., Floyd, B., Frohlich, B., Dickson, M., Amgalantogs, T., Karstens, S. Pearlstein, K., 2012. Taphonomic Analysis of Bronze Age Burials in Mongolian Khirigsuurs. Journal of Archaeological Science 39(11):3361-3370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2012.06.004
Karstens, S. 2011.Pastoralism and the Health of Prehistoric People: A Palaeopathological Analysis. MA Thesis, University of Auckland, Auckland.
Frohlich, B., Amgalantugs, T., Littleton, J., Ganbat, G., Hunt, D., Nittler, E., Karstens, S., Frohlich, T. and E. Batchatar. 2010. An Overview of Theories and Hypotheses Pertaining to Mongolian Bronze Age Khirigsuurs in the Hovsgol Aimag, Mongolia. Studia Archaeologicae.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Karstens, S., Allen, H., Littleton, J., 2018. The Bioarchaeology of Mobility: Addressing Issues of Time and Distance. NZAA/AAA Annual Meeting, Auckland.
Smith, C.B., Littleton, J., Karstens S., 2017. Dental Microwear Texture and Diet: A Comparison with Isotopic Data. Australian Archaeology Association Meetings, Melbourne.
Karstens, S., Littleton, J., Frohlich, B., Amgaluntugs, T., Pearlstein, K., 2017. Palaeopathological Indicators of Mounted Pastoralism during the Mongolian Bronze Age. American Association of Physical Anthropology Annual Conference, New Orleans.
Karstens, S., 2016. Analysing the diet of hunter-gatherers on the Murray River: The importance and complexity of reconstructing a stable isotope ecology. Australasian Society for Human Biology Annual Conference, Dunedin.
Karstens, S., 2015. The viability of using individual level stable carbon and isotope analysis to study hunter-gatherer behavioural flexibility at Roonka, South Australia. Australasian Society for Human Biology Annual Conference, Brisbane.
Karstens, S., 2010. Pastoralism and the health of prehistoric people: A palaeopathological analysis. Australasian Society for Human Biology Annual Conference, Auckland