54853 - Bioarchaeology and Forensic Osteology with Laboratory

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will acquire advanced knowledge of the human skeletal biology and of the application in the archaeological and forensic fileds.The student will be skill to study unidentified human skeletal remains (for forensic and archaeological purposes) troughout many methodologies involved in the recostruction of the biological profile and identification. Restoration and study of specific osseous and dental markers (age at death, sex, physical activity, traumas, disease, etc.) will be applied to reconstrict biologivcal profile and life style of the humans.

Course contents

Physical and forensic Antrhopology; Forensic osteology; common anthropological methods applied in the bioarchaeological amnd forensic fields; human skeletal remains and morphological and metrical skeletal markers; Taphonomy, burials and state of conservation of the human remains; reconstruction of the biological profile (human/not human, attribution of sex, age at death estimations, stature, etc.); human identified and osteoarchaeological skeletal collections; human biodiversity and concept of race; realization of an osteological report.

Readings/Bibliography

slide of the lessons; scientific papers

K.J. Reichs (ed) (1998). Forensic Osteology (2nd Edition). Charles C. Thomas publisher, LTD, Springfield, Illinois, USA.

White T, Folkens PA (2005) Human bone manual. Elsevier Academic Press.

Teaching methods

Frontal and practical lessons and laboratories

Assessment methods

Taking into account that the aim of the course is to allow the student for reconstructing the biological profile of human skeletal remains of bioarchaeological and forensic interest, and to do an osteological report of the materials that have been examined, the exam consists in a pratical test. The student have to:

- recognize and describe fragmentary human skeletal remains;

- reconstruct the biological profile (age estimation, sex diagnosis, etc.) of the remains in a bad preservation state, utilizing the methods learned during the course;

- reconstruct the biological profile (age estimation, sex diagnosis, etc.) of the remains weel preserved.

Teaching tools

Slides and PC. The course of laboratory is realized utilizing the instruments and requirements to restore and to study, with anthropological and bioarchaeological methods, the human skeletal remains.

Links to further information

http://www.bioarcheologia.it

Office hours

See the website of Maria Giovanna Belcastro