Bi8612 Human and Comparative osteology

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Arwa Kharobi, PhD (lecturer)
doc. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Kévin Alexis André Salesse, M.Sc., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Wed 10:00–11:50 Bp1,01007
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 9 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Students attending this course will be able to understand human bone morphology, they will obtain basic theoretical knowledge and practical skills, which are crucial for examining anthropological aspects of osteological findings. Furthermore, the students will be introduced to more specialized methods applicable to osteological findings (e.g., isotope analysis).
Learning outcomes
After concluding this course, students should have the theoretical foundations for basic and advanced processing of anthropological and bioarchaeological skeletal findings. In addition, students ought to be able to differentiate morphological and structural variations in osteological findings and to determine the origin of such variations.
Syllabus
  • 1. Animal and Human Remains (overview to importance in various fields, osteological paradox, ethical considerations, skeletal collections, restoration, treatment, storage, repatriations) (20/9/2023).
  • 2. Individual vs commingled human skeletal remains (osteobiography, mass graves, ossuary) (27/9/2023).
  • 3. Cranial variations (cranial metric and nonmetric variations, trophies, overmodelled skulls; severed heads) (4/10/2023).
  • 4. Skeletal and dental variations: individual (idiosyncratic) and population-based (musculo-stress markers, degenerative joint disease) (11/10/2023).
  • 5. Cremation and burnt remains (cremation vs. inhumation, on-site care vs. post-excavation treatment; analysing cremated bones, challenges and limits) – Kevin Salesse (18/10/2023).
  • 6. Reconstructing diet and nutritional stress (human dentition, microwear, chemical approach, molecular approach) (25/10/2023).
  • 7. Biological sex and gender in studies of human skeletal remains (sexual dimorphism, misgendered skeleton changes, sex vs. gender; skeletal indicators of pregnancy and parturition, parenthood) (1/11/2023).
  • 8. The Bioanthropology of childhood (biological vs. chronological vs cultural/social age, children's health and nutrition, children and work (8/11/2023).
  • 9. Skeletal remains and human migration and integration (multi-isotopic evidence, genetic data) (15/11/2023).
  • 10. Paleodemography (mortality models, criticisms and response) (22/11/2023).
  • 11. Bone and Dental Histology (invasive and non-invasive microscopic techniques, intra-, inter-individual variations, taxonomy, age estimation, pathology, dental microwear) (29/11/2023).
  • 12. Disability and care in bioanthropology (theories of disability, disablement and malformation, trauma, anthropology of war and violence) (6/12/2023).
  • 13. Paleopathology (invisible diseases, diseases with skeletal manifestations) (13/12/2023).
  • 14. Presentations (20/12/2023)
Literature
    required literature
  • France, D. 2008: Human and nonhuman bone identification. BocaRaton: CRC Press.
  • Lyman, R. L.2008: Quantitative paleozoology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Hillson, S. 2005: Teeth. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Kolda, J. 1951: Osteologický atlas. Praha.
  • White, T. D., Folkens, P. A. (eds.) 2005: The human bone manual. Boston: Elsevier Academic Press.
    recommended literature
  • Adams, J. B., Crabtree, P. J. 2008: Comparative skeletal anatomy: A photographic atlas for medical examiners, coroners, forensic anthropologist and archeologist. New York: Springer.
  • Reitz E. J., Wing, E. S. 2008: Zooarchaeology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Lyman, R. L. 1994: Vertebrate taphonomy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • BÖKÖNYI, Sándor. History of domestic mammals in central and eastern Europe. Translated by Lili Halápy. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1974, 596 s. ISBN 9630502518. info
  • Davis S.J.M. The Archaeology of Animals. B.T. Batsford Ltd London, 1987. ISBN 0713445718. info
  • The archaeology of animal bones
Teaching methods
Lectures will be conducted in English language.
Assessment methods
The course is concluded by a presentation and a written exam. To pass the exam successfully the student must prove theoretical knowledge and practical skills of the issues discussed according the syllabus.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2023, recent)
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