Analytical Methods in Human Osteology (P01869)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : HCA-P-P01869

This course teaches an awareness of the wide range of analytical methods that are applied routinely in the study of human remains, including ageing and sexing of individuals from bones, estimation of stature, isotopic analysis of ancient diets and radiocarbon dating of bone. The taphonomy of human remains will also be studied. This is a discipline aimed at reconstructing the post mortem history of a skeleton; it is the critical evaluation of bone assemblages that have been continuously affected by natural agents and human activity alike. Understanding the processes that have altered the preservation of human remains is essential to meaningful archaeological interpretation of osteological data. A special form of post mortem bone modification is burning. Cremation is of great cultural importance and identifying calcined bone takes special skills, which are also taught on this course.

Entry Requirements

? Prohibited combinations : P01172 Analytical Methods in Osteoarchaeology

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Postgraduate (School of History and Classics), (School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Schedule E)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course the student should be able to:
- demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the principle analytical methods and techniques in human osteology
- reconstruct individual traits (age, sex, size, etc.)
- identify and prepare appropriate human samples for analysis
- critically evaluate and interpret results of analysis
- synthesise the results of analytical techniques with other lines of evidence to reconstruct ancient demography, society, economy and environment- an understanding of the methods used in the identification and analysis of human remains
- show awareness of the various processes that can affect skeletal remains after death and how this information can add to our understanding of ancient societies and/or environments