Fieldwork

Introduction to Bioarchaeology Course

COVID-19 NOTICE: Please be sure to reach out to the project contact to find out the status of their upcoming season. Many projects have altered fieldwork plans and the information below may not reflect that.

Location: Athens, Greece

Season: September 4, 2023 to September 8, 2023

Session Dates: September 4 to September 8, 2023

Application Deadline: May 8, 2023

Deadline Type: Exact Date

Website: https://www.ascsa.edu.gr/programs/wl-bioarchaeology-course

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
American School of Classical Studies at Athens

Project Director:
Dr. Ioanna Moutafi

Project Description:

The Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science is offering an intensive week-long course in bioarchaeology to introduce participants to the analysis of human skeletal remains from archaeological contexts. Dr. Ioanna Moutafi, Post-Doctoral Fellow of the Wiener Laboratory and expert in bioarchaeology and Aegean prehistory, will lead the course with assistance from Dr. Dimitris Michailidis, an anthropologist/paleontologist and Coordinator of the Wiener Laboratory. Human bones are a unique strand of archaeological evidence, as they provide a vast array of both biological and cultural information about life and death in the past. This course will offer both the theoretical and basic technical skills for the analysis and interpretation of human remains, through lectures, seminars and interactive hands-on practical sessions. The objective is to familiarize participants with all aspects of the human skeleton and the different insights they can offer us into the past.

The course will explore key themes in bioarchaeology, such as:
• Human skeletal anatomy – bone identification
• Estimation of sex and age-at-death
• Skeletal variation
• Dealing with commingled human remains
• Paleopathology
• Nutrition and diet
• Current biomolecular advances (a-DNA, stable isotopes)
• Bones in context: social bioarchaeology and funerary archaeology

A maximum of 12 participants will be accepted for the course. Preference is given to graduate and advanced undergraduate students with an interest in archaeological science, bioarchaeology, and funerary archaeology. The course is also ideal for professional archaeologists or museum curators who may occasionally need to work with human remains. This course is not geared toward people with significant experience in human osteology or bioarchaeology. No prior experience in human osteology is required.

The course will take place from September 4 to September 8, 2023.

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: Full term

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: Preference is given to graduate and advanced undergraduate students with an interest in archaeological science, bioarchaeology, and funerary archaeology. The course is also ideal for professional archaeologists or museum curators who may occasionally need to work with human remains. This course is not geared toward people with significant experience in human osteology or bioarchaeology. No prior experience in human osteology is required.

Room and Board Arrangements:
Training fee is 450 euros for the entire course. Accommodation is not provided, but we will offer recommendations and assistance to course participants in order to arrange accommodation themselves.

Academic Credit:
Inquire about course credit.

Contact Information:


Dr. Ioanna Moutafi

54 Souidias Street

Athens

106 76

Greece

imoutafi@yahoo.gr

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