Module ARCH3461: BONES AND HUMAN SOCIETIES

Department: Archaeology

ARCH3461: BONES AND HUMAN SOCIETIES

Prerequisites

• Archaeological Method and Theory (ARCH2121) OR Professional Training (Techniques of Archaeological Fieldwork) (ARCH2102) OR Applied Archaeological Science (ARCH2041).

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• This constitutes one of a group of modules designed to provide students with a sound knowledge of core professional techniques related to the recording and analysis of classes of primary archaeological materials, and thus develop skills required for their analysis and interpretation.
• To provide students with a detailed knowledge and understanding of the identification, recording and analysis of skeletal remains, excavated from archaeological sites.

Content

• This module deals with the identification, recording and analysis of skeletal remains (both human and animal) from archaeological sites.
• Laboratory practicals and workshops, will cover in detail:
• 1) the comparative osteology of the vertebrate skeleton,
• 2) how to recognise the various skeletal elements and identify different species,
• 3) how to establish the age and sex of vertebrates from their bones and teeth,
• 4) variation in the size and shape of individuals,
• 5) how to recognise signs of poor health and disease.
• Computing practicals will be used to analyse, interpret and present osteoarchaeological data, and workshops will serve to explore and critically evaluate a series of published case studies (using archaeological examples of both human and animal bone research).

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the module the student will have: developed a sound knowledge of skeletal anatomy, species and element identification, demography, biometry and pathology.
• They will also gain a broad understanding of the main techniques of analysis and interpretation, and of the potential and limitations bioarchaeological data.
• gained direct experience of laboratory skills.
• gained direct experience of a field of importance to professional practice.
• developed communication and presentation skills through preparation of a portfolio of written material.

• Ability to identify anmal and human bones
• Knowledge of analytical techniques including biometry, ageing and sexing

• Use of spreadsheets to analyse assemblages
• Independent study
• Research
• Problem solving

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The module is principally "hands-on" and, after introductory lectures, is taught mainly by a series of practical sessions and workshops.
• It is designed primarily to provide students with a solid grounding in the principles and practices of osteoarchaeology and to facilitate the development of laboratory, analytical and presentational skills, through systematic identification, recording and statistical treatment of osteological material and data.
• Methods of assessment are, therefore, also principally practical in nature, and are directly linked to the course structure and the learning outcomes.
• They include a bone identification test, a data analytical exercise and the production of a laboratory notebook.
• A single short essay (circa. 2,000 words) will be based upon one or more of the case studies dealt with in the workshops.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Keeping of laboratory notebook to be handed in for comment by the end of Michaelmas term.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University