Postgraduate Course: Analytical Methods in Human Osteology (PGHC11230)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Postgraduate (School of History and Classics) |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | 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. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2012/13 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
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WebCT enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
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Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| No Classes have been defined for this Course |
| First Class |
First class information not currently available |
| No Exam Information |
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 |
Assessment Information
| Coursework equivalent to a 4000 word essay |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
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| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
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| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Kathleen Mcsweeney
Tel: (0131 6)50 2373
Email: |
Course secretary | Mrs Lindsay Scott
Tel: (0131 6)50 9948
Email: |
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