Important notice
The course guide is provisional.
The PDF version of the course guide may take a few days to become available in the DDD.
Human Osteoarchaeology: Anthropological Analysis of Social Groups
Code: 44480Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Prehistoric Archaeology | OP | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Cristina Rihuete Herrada
- Email :
- cristina.rihuete@uab.cat
Teaching staff (external to UAB)
- Vanessa Villalba-Mouco
- Tona Majó Ortín
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
None.
Objectives
The main goal of the course is to provide students with a qualified formation on the study of human skeletal remains from archaeological excavations. The four core areas under will be:
- taphonomy of fuerary practices
- biological descent and kinship
- paleopathology
- violence markers and forensic applications
Given that the course has a marked hands-on character and applied knowledge perspective, the syllabus includes many case studies on all topics and a constant use of anatomic models and the whole reference collection curated by the Human Bioarchaeology Laboratory.
Learning outcomes
- That the students can apply their knowledge and their ability to solve problems in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their field of study.
- That students have the learning skills that enable them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.
- Incorporate ethical considerations into the analysis of the cultural needs of different groups.
- Evaluate the real potential for influencing the public through cultural action.
- Include gender perspectives, universal accessibility and multiculturalism when proposing and reflecting on work.
- Demonstrate the ability to integrate into a team with specialists from other disciplines.
- Critically apply research techniques in human osteology.
- Apply the theoretical knowledge acquired and solve problems in new environments within osteoarchaeological analysis.
- Organise, plan and manage research work in osteology.
- Implement protocols for conducting field work and osteoarchaeological sample collection.
- Organise, plan and manage research work.
Contents
SECTION 1. Human osteology: bone identification and the basis of bioarchaeology and osteobiography
- Introduction. Anatomy, osteology and bioarchaeology.
- Human skeleton I: the cranial vault. Bones, landmarks sutures and skull morphology. Ossification centres and suture closure. Sexual dimorphism. Craniometrics. Epigenetic traits. Identification practices. Sex and age assessment.
- Human skeleton II: dentition. Teeth anatomy & recording. Formation and eruption processes. Identification practices. Age assessment.
- Human skeleton III: trunk. Spine, thoracic cage and bones of the scapular & pelvic girdle. Ontogeny and sex markers. Identification practices. Sex and age assessment.
- Human skeleton IV: limbs. Bones of the upper and lower limbs. Epiphyseal closure and diaphyseal metrics. Identification practices. Anthropometry. Stature assessment.
- Human remains identifications and recording. Hands-on sessions.
SECTION 2. Applications
- Archaeothanatology. Osteological implications of funerary practices and burial systems. Taphonomic agents. Cadaveric and skeleton processes. Primary, secondary, simultaneous and multiple inhumations. Body treatment and funerary ritual. Case studies.
- Biological descent and kinship. Basics on paleogenetics and archaeogenetics. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. Biological distance and genetic ancestry in the study of kinship, residence and migrations. Case studies.
- Paleopathology. Anomalies and bone markers. Differentialdiagnosis. Congenital, metabolic and infectious syndromes. Postural and workload markers. Traumatic injuries and violence. Case studies and identification practices.
- Crimes against humanity and forensic applications. Research on franquoist repression mass graves. Discussion on problems and limitations of victim identification by means of case studies.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test preparation and essay writting | 65 | 2.6 | 1, 2, 7, 8, 10 |
| Guidance | 37.5 | 1.5 | 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 |
| Lectures & seminars and hands-on sessions (practical training) | 37.5 | 1.5 | 1, 2, 6, 7, 11 |
Classroom activities
- Introduction sessions on theory and methods
- Collaboration of specialists in seminars and debates
- Heads-on sessions with full use of anatomical models and the reference collections curated by the Human Bioarchaeology Laboratory
- Online practicing and solution of case studies
Guided activities
- Guidance on learning exercicis (individual & in small groups)
- Problem-oriented learning
Individual activities
- Information search, reading, exercices (Moodle), study
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal and collaborative work | 40% | 4 | 0.16 | 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Classroom & lab practices | 60% | 6 | 0.24 | 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 |
Filling in the data sheets of practical excercices 45%
Individual and group work (exercices and tests) 40%
Class attendance and active participation 15%
On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.
Exchange students who request to take an exam in advance must submit a written document from their home university to the course coordinator to justify their request.
This subject/module does not incorporate single assessment.
The grade will be "non-assessable" when the submission of evaluation activities is less than 30%
In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.
This subject allows the use of AI technologies exclusively for support tasks such as bibliographic or content-based searches, text correction or translations. In any case, the student must clearly (i) identify which parts have been generated using AI technology; (ii) specify the tools used; and (iii) include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and final outcome of the activity.
Lack of transparency regarding the use of AI in the assessed activity will be considered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade may be lowered, or the work may even be awarded a zero. In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.
Bibliography
SECTION 1
ALQAHTANI, S. J.; LIVERSIDGE, H. M.; HECTOR, M. P. (2010), “Atlas of tooth development and eruption”, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 142(3): 481-90. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.21258
BUIKSTRA, J. y UBELAKER, D.H.(eds) (1994), Standards for data collection from human skeletal remains. Proceedings of a Seminar at the Field Museum of Natural History organized by Jonathan Haas, Arkansas Archaeological Survey Research Serie nº 44, Indianapolis.
NIKITA, Efthymia. (2017), Osteoarchaeology. A Guide to the Macroscopic Study of Human Skeletal Remains. Elsevier, Londres.
SCHAEFER, M., BLACK, S. y SCHEUER, L. (2009), Juvenile osteology. A laboratory and field manual. Academic Press, Londres.
TERMCAT (1993), Diccionari d’anatomia, Colecció Diccionaris terminològics, Fundació Barcelona, Barcelona.https://www.termcat.cat/es/diccionaris-en-linia/182
UBELAKER, D. H. (1984), Human skeletal remains. Excavation, analysis, interpretation, edición revisada, Smithsonian Institution, Washington. (trad. castellano: Enterramientos humanos. Excavación, análisis, interpretación. Munibe, supl. 24, Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi, Donostia, 2003).
WHITE, T. D. (2011), Human Osteology, 3a edició, Academic Press, Nova York.
SECTION 2
BUIKSTRA, J. (ed.) (2019), Ortner’s identification of paleopathological conditions in human skeletal remains, Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Academic Press-Elservier https://doi.org/10.1016/C2011-0-06880-1
DUDAY, H. (2009), The Archaeology of the Dead: Lectures in Archaeothanatology. Oxbow Books, Londres.
GELLER, Pamela (2021), Theorizing bioarcheology, Springer, Cham.
ETXEBERRIA, F. (ed.) (2020), Las exhumaciones de la Guerra Civil y de la dictadura franquista. Estado actual y recomendaciones de futuro. Ministerio de la Presidencia, Relaciones con las Cortes y Memoria Democrática. https://www.mpr.gob.es/servicios/publicaciones/Documents/Exhumaciones_Guerra_Civil_accesible_BAJA.pdf
KATZENBERG, M.A.; GRAUER, A.L. (eds.) (2019), Biological Anthropology of the Human Skeleton. 3a edició, Wiley-Blackwell.
KLAUS, H.D.; HARVEY, A.R.; COHEN, M.N. (2017), Bones of complexity. Bioarchaeological case studies of social organization and skeletal biology. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
MARTIN, D.L.; HARROD, R.P. (2015), “Bioarchaeological contributions to the study of violence”, Yearbook of Physical Anthropology, 156: 116-145.
MARTIN, D.L.; HARROD, R.P.; PÉREZ, V.R. (2013), Bioarchaeoogy. An integrated approach to working with human remains. Manuals in Archaeological Method, Theory and Technique, Springer, Nova York.
MATISOO-SMITH, E.; HORSBURGH, K. Ann (2012), DNA for archaeologists. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, California.
LEWIS, M.E. (2007), The Bioarchaeology of Children. Perspectives from biological and forensic anthropology. Cambrdige University Press, Cambridge.
SCHRADER, S.A.; BUZON, M.R. (2017), “Everyday life after the collapse: a bioarchaeological examination of entheseal change and accidental injury in Postcolonial Nubia”, Bioarchaeology International, 1 (1-2): 19-34; https://doi.org/10.5744/bi.2017.1000
WALDRON, T. (2009), Palaeopathology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Software
Word, Power Point, Teams, PDF reader
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |