Unit information: Introduction to Biological Archaeology in 2014/15

Unit name	Introduction to Biological Archaeology
Unit code	ARCH10007
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Professor. Kate Robson Brown
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	none
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Anthropology and Archaeology
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

Investigations of archaeological sites often bring to light materials and remains of biological origin, such as human skeletons or food residues. Bioarchaeology is the subdiscipline of archaeological science that identifies and interprets these biological remains in terms of human usage, human ecology, and biogeography. This unit provides an introductory overview of bioarchaeology, and demonstrates how archaeologists reconstruct past human activity patterns and human health from surviving biological evidence.

Aims: To provide an overview of the field of bioarchaeology, or biological archaeology, from the macro to the molecular scale.

To enable you to assess the importance of bioarchaeological evidence to archaeological science and site or material interpretation.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the unit the student should be able to:

1. Describe the most common types of archaeological material of biological origin, both plant and animal.
2. Explain how the different scales of analysis (eg molecular, macroscale) require different methods of observation and recording.
3. Discuss, with examples, how the study of stable isotopes informs archaeology about human activity in the past.
4. Discuss, with examples, how the study of genetics and ancient DNA informs archaeology about human activity in the past.
5. Describe the most common plant materials found in archaeological contexts and explain what their study can reveal about ancient human environments and subsistence behaviours.
6. Describe the most common animal materials found in archaeological contexts and explain what their study can reveal about ancient human environments and behaviours.
7. Critically assess a recent paper in the field of biological archaeology / bioarchaeology from a peer reviewed journal.

Teaching Information

9 lecture-practical sessions (lectures are hands-on, incorporating demonstrations and practical exercises);1 seminar. All these sessions need to be taught in a laboratory environment, because archaeological materials will be used as teaching aids in all sessions.

Assessment Information

Practical notebook 50%; ILO 1-6 Critical Assessment 50% (1500 words); ILO 7

Reading and References

Bahn, P. (Ed). Written in bones: how human remains unlock the secrets of the dead. Newton Abbott: David and Charles.

Boyd, R. and Silk, J. 2003. 4th Ed. How Humans Evolved. London: W.W. Norton.

Cox, M and Mays, S 2000. Human osteology in archaeology and forensic science. London: Greenwich Medical Media.

Current year of volumes of: Journal of Archaeological Science, Archaeometry, Journal of Human Evolution.