Our new Osteoarchaeology one week summer school

by | Oct 8, 2024 | My studies, News and events, Uncategorised | 0 comments

This summer here in archaeology we put interdisciplinarity into practice. Jenny Metcalfe and Konstantina Drosou both work in Biomedical Egyptology and are based in the Stopford Building. This means that they are both super knowledgeable about human skeletal remains, and work literally across the road from the Archaeology labs. Jenny has previously delivered our two hour ‘bones’ practical for the Doing Archaeology modules, and this year we had eleven undergraduate students who were really keen to find out more.

In response to their requests and in discussion with Peter Liddel and Louise Stewart the idea of a one-week summer school emerged. Using the Biomedical Egyptology collections Jenny and Konstantina would cover: an introduction to skeletal anatomy; aging and sexing skeletons; how to complete a skeletal inventory; identifying pathologies from skeletal remains; and on the final day a discussion around the ethics of working with human remains. Students would also have an introduction to some of the lab techniques used to study human remains, as well as a session on mummies.

As this would build upon our initial two-hour session it was agreed this would be an ideal Course Enhancement funded project. The summer school ran at the end of June and from the student feedback we received, it was a success!

“I most benefited from being able to get practical experience with human remains as it allowed me to learn much about the practice of osteoarchaeology and its applications to real life excavations”.

 

“The brilliant instruction from Jenny and Konstantina, and their confidence in us to handle the remains with care”.

“The constant hands-on application of knowledge – seeing and holding real examples. The pin the label on the skeleton exercise was really good for applying book knowledge to real anatomy”.

Whilst Biomedical Egyptology is not Archaeology there is a real overlap in the practice-based skills used in both subject areas. In discussion with some of the third-year students afterwards it is clear that this practical course has really boosted their confidence, whether it is for commercial archaeology job applications, or applying for Masters courses with an osteology research element.  Thanks to Jenny Metcalfe, Konstantina Drosou, Peter Liddel and Louise Stewart for making this happen, and of course the eleven students who took part. It was their enthusiastic engagement with the subject that made this summer school a success!

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