Undergraduate Course: Death, Decay and Reconstruction: Discovering past lifeways through Archaeological Human Remains (ARCA10076)
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 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Archaeology |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | Human remains, including burnt and unburnt skeletal remains as well as bog bodies and mummies, provide the most direct evidence on health, disease, activity, diet, warfare and population relationships in the past. This course aims to introduce the main techniques and principles used in the analysis as well as the contextual interpretation of archaeological human remains. It will apply a thematic approach, illustrated by case studies from diverse chronological periods and geographic locations. What can human remains tells us about childhood in the Middle Ages? About the transition to farming? About warfare and punishment in the Roman Empire? About the life and death of individuals like Ötzi and Tollund Man? And how can we integrate this information meaningfully into its broader archaeological context? Based on lectures, seminars and museum visits, students will learn how to evaluate and integrate osteoarchaeological, palaeopathological and demographic information resulting from the study of human remains, to reach a fuller understanding of the past and comprehensively answer archaeological and historical questions. Students will also explore ethical issues and the value of archaeological human remains in a museum context as well as the importance of communicating the aims and importance of osteoarchaeological research to the wider public. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting Students should usually have at least 3 Archaeology courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses.
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| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | No |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
| Demonstrate, by way of essay plan, essay, poster presentations and reflective critique, knowledge of osteoarchaeological methods and interpretation as well as issues surrounding the curation and exhibition of human remains in a museum environment; ability to critically assess osteological data and integrate it into wider archaeological analyses. |
Assessment Information
Essay plan c. 500 words (10%)
Essay c. 2,000 words (30%)
A1 poster presentation (40%)
Reflective critique based on the Museum visit c. 1000 words (20%)
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Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Week 1: History of the study of archaeological human remains
Ethics and standards: Excavation, analysis, curation and display
(2h lecture)
Week 2: The body as material and material culture: From bodies to bones, mummies and bog
bodies
(2h lecture)
Week 3: Principles and methods of osteoarhcaeological analysis and interpretation
(1h lecture + 1h seminar)
Week 4: Visit to the National Museum of Scotland (2h)
Week 5: Growing up, working hard and growing old: Childhood, adulthood and activity in the past
Sex and gender
(1h lecture + 1h seminar)
Week 6: The odd one out? Disease and disability in the past.
(1h lecture + 1h seminar)
Week 7: Fast or feast: Investigating food and diet
(1h lecture + 1h seminar)
Week 8: Broken bones: Accidents and trauma
Assaults on the body: Warfare, crime and punishment
(2h lecture)
Week 9: When will I be famous? Individual osteobiographies
(1h lecture + 1h seminar)
Week 10: Through space and time: Population studies and 'big' questions
(1h lecture + 1h seminar)
Week 11: Integrating the data: Biocultural approaches and the future of human remains studies
(1h lecture + 1h seminar)
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| Transferable skills |
On successful completetion of the course, students should be able to:
- gather and critically assess relevant information
- present their ideas and analyses in a coherent fashion to diverse audiences and in a number of different formats.
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| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Linda Fibiger
Tel: (0131 6)50 2379
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Alana Nesbitt
Tel: (0131 6)50 2501
Email: |
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