The focus of this course is human osteology, or the study of the human skeleton, from a biocultural perspective. Emphasis will be placed on both the biology of human skeletal remains through osteological analysis as well as cultural context. This course will explore the various types of biological, cultural and evolutionary information that can be derived from the examination of human skeletal remains. Students will not only learn how to identify skeletal elements, but also estimate age and sex of individuals. Lectures will also cover various topics such as the reconstruction of diet, the identification of disease in past populations (paleopathology), forensic applications and ethical issues concerning the concept of race, and the research of human remains.

The focus of this course is human osteology, or the study of the human skeleton, from a biocultural perspective. Emphasis will be placed on both the biology of human skeletal remains through osteological analysis as well as cultural context. This course will explore the various types of biological, cultural and evolutionary information that can be derived from the examination of human skeletal remains. Students will not only learn how to identify skeletal elements, but also estimate age and sex of individuals. Lectures will also cover various topics such as the reconstruction of diet, the identification of disease in past populations (paleopathology), forensic applications and ethical issues concerning the concept of race, and the research of human remains.