ABSTRACT

There is no greater direct evidence regarding earlier human populations than their physical remains. This volume provides a pragmatic and up-to-date account of forensic analysis of human skeletal remains, and its application in tackling major historical and archaeological issues.
The Archaeology of Human Bones starts with an introduction to the anatomy, structure and development of bones and teeth. It analyzes the biasing effects of decay and incomplete recovery on burial data from archaeological sites, and discusses what we may learn about ancient burial rituals from human remains. Subsequent chapters focus on the demographic analysis of bone, the study of ancient DNA, and the study of cremated remains. Examples are brought from archaeological studies around the world.
The Archaeology of Human Bones is a well-illustrated textbook for students of archaeology, explaining current scientific methods - technical jargon kept to a minimum - alongside critical discussion of their strengths and weaknesses.

chapter 1|12 pages

THE NATURE OF BONES AND TEETH

chapter 3|41 pages

THE DETERMINATION OF AGE AND SEX

chapter 4|28 pages

METRIC VARIATION

chapter 5|20 pages

NON-METRIC VARIATION

chapter 6|24 pages

BONE DISEASE

chapter 7|16 pages

DENTAL DISEASE

chapter 8|20 pages

TRACES OF INJURY ON THE SKELETON

chapter 9|15 pages

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF BONE

chapter 10|10 pages

THE STUDY OF DNA FROM ANCIENT BONES

chapter 11|18 pages

CREMATED BONE