ARCH6126 Bioarchaeology of Human Remains
Module Overview
The first portion of the module comprises the learning of the basics of human osteology and palaeopathology. The second portion is more theoretically driven and integrates bioarchaeology with skeletal analysis, including topics such as age, gender, ethnicity and activity patterning. The module will start by detailing the skeletal anatomy of the human body. In this part of the module, you will learn detailed skeletal human bioarchaeology. In the later part of the module, you will start to implement more interpretative aspects, such as assigning age, sex and stature to skeletons. Aspects of health and disease, and the identification of palaleopathology, will be developed and considered. You will also study aspects of funerary archaeology and its integration with skeletal studies and taphonomy to develop archaeologies of death and burial.
Aims and Objectives
Module Aims
to learn the basic bioarchaeologically relevant anatomy of the human body
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- varying approaches to the analysis of human skeletal remains
- the ethical issues surrounding working with human remains
- the use of human skeletal remains as a resource for studying past variability in diet and subsistence, health and disease, social structure and organisation, and population history and migration
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- observe and visually identify human bones
- evaluate and critique the methods and results of bioarchaeological analyses and studies
- present information clearly and concisely
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- select appropriate means for recording and analysing data
- evaluate and critique arguments and material
- write clear and concise reports
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- identify and sort fragments of human bone
- undertake and report basic osteological analysis of human skeletons
Syllabus
The module syllabus will typically include the following components: • The nature of bone & outline of the human skeleton: this will encompass briefly considering the construction of bone and the organisation of the human skeleton. • Skulls & axial skeleton: the skeletal anatomy of the head, vertebrae, pelvis, scapulae, clavicles and sternum • Limbs, long bones, hands and feet: skeletal anatomy of the arms and legs, distinguishing hands from feet • Teeth, dentitions and dental health: or… why you should remember to brush your teeth • Estimating age and sex: children, the differences between social, chronological and biological ages, and between sex and gender • Stature and body size: reconstructing adult height • Trauma, battlefields and bodies: breaking bones, weaponry and bodily protection • Palaeopathology, disease and infection, including study of syphilis, TB, and leprosy • Metrics, non-metrics, biodistance and ethnicity, including critique of whether race exists • Taphonomy, burial ritual and funerary archaeology: how can we get an identity from bioarchaeology? • Migration, mobility & chemical analyses (aDNA, isotopes): where do these people come from and what did they eat? • Ethics of working with human remains: what are the ethical considerations of study, curation and repatriation?
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include • Lecture detailing aspects of skeletal identification or methodology • Short student presentations on key bioarchaeology texts • Practical work developing bioarchaeological identification and analysis skills Learning activities include • Practical work • Summative bone fragment tests • Role play • Peer review of bone report in advance of submission
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Practical classes and workshops | 32 |
| Completion of assessment task | 52 |
| Wider reading or practice | 50 |
| Lecture | 11 |
| Seminar | 5 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Bass, W. (1987). Human Osteology.
Katzenberg, M.A. and Saunders, S.R. (eds) (2008). Biological Anthropology of the Human Skeleton.
Mays, S. (1993). The Archaeology of Human Bones.
Buikstra, J. E. and Beck, L.A. (eds.) (2006). Bioarchaeology.
Brothwell, D. (1987). Digging Up Bones.
Iscan, M.Y. and Kennedy, K.A.R. (eds.) (1989). Reconstruction of Life from the Skeleton.
Pinhasi, R. and Mays, S. (2008). Advances in Human Palaeopathology.
Roberts, C. and Manchester, K. (2010). The Archaeology of Disease.
White, T.D.; Black, M.T. and Folkens, P.A. (2012). Human Osteology.
Larsen, C.S. (1997). Bioarchaeology.
Roberts, C. (2009). Human Remains in Archaeology: A Handbook.
Brickley, M. and McKinley, J.I. (2004). Guidelines to the Standards for Recording Human Remains. IFA Paper. ,7 .
Hillson, S. (1997). Dental Anthropology.
Ortner, D. and Putschar, W. (1985). Identification of Pathological Conditions in Human Skeletal Remains.
Agarwal, S.C. and Glencross, B.A. (eds.) (2011). Social Bioarchaeology.
Buikstra, J and Ubelaker, D. (1994). Standards for Data Collection from Human Skeletal Remains.
White, T.D. & Folkens, P.A. (2005). The Human Bone Manual.
Assessment
Summative
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Bone tests | 40% |
| Report | 60% |
Referral
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Report | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal