anthrop 2ff3: Charbonnaeu. M., 2024 vers.

• Osteology


  Study of bones (and teeth)
• Osteology


  • Identification and interpretation
  • Can work in universities, museums, research labs, and even commercial/industry
• Bone


  A living tissue that grows and develops as we age, reacts to/heals from disease and trauma, and has function
• Functions of bone


  • Support and movement
  • Protection of vital organs
  • Production of red and white blood cells
  • Mineral reservoir
• Bone composition


  Composed of organic and inorganic material including water, collagen, and hydroxyapatite
• Bone is variable, largely dictated by anatomical function
• Sexual Dimorphism


  • Males have greater mass and more robust bones
  • Females have less mass and less robust bones (more gracile)
  • Females stop growing and mature earlier than males
  • Females lose bone mass more readily than males
• Humans exhibit continuous, clinical variation in many physical traits as a product of ~300k years of movement/interaction
• Bone will remodel in response to disease and damage, and will atrophy if not used
• Classification of Bone Shapes

  • Long bones
  • Short bones
  • Flat bones
  • Sesamoid bones
  • Irregular bones
• Joints


  Places where bones articulate with varying degrees of movement
• Types of Joints


  • Fibrous joints
  • Cartilaginous joints
  • Synovial joints
• Long bone gross anatomy

  • Diaphysis (long shaft)
  • Epiphysis (caps/ends)
  • Metaphysis (transition period)
• Cortical Bone


  External surface of bone, quite dense with little pores/spaces
• Trabecular Bone


  Internal structure of bone, lightweight and porous
• Subchondral bone


  Bone directly under or covered by cartilage
• Periosteum


  Connective tissue that outlines the surface of bones
• Endosteum


  Same as periosteum but on the inside of bones
• Medullary Cavity


  Where most of the marrow is
• Microscopic bone structures


  • Osteon
  • Haversian Canal
  • Volkmann Canal
  • Concentric lamellae
  • Lacuna(e)
  • Canaliculi
• Bone cells


  • Osteogenic Cell
  • Osteoblast
  • Osteoclast
  • Osteocyte
• Intramembranous Ossification


  Condensed mesenchyme -> osteoblast differentiation -> matrix deposition -> remodelling
• Endochondral Ossification


  Cartilage gets penetrated by bone cells and eventually ossifies, forms from the middle-out with a periosteal collar
• Appositional bone growth


  Osteoblasts lay down new bone on the surface while osteoclasts eat up the internal stuff
• Epiphyseal Bone growth


  Increase in length via fusion of the epiphyses to the diaphysis
• Bone fracture healing


  Fracture hematoma forms -> fibrocartilaginous callus forms -> hard callus forms -> bone is remodelled
• Bioarchaeology


  Subfield of biological anthropology that studies human remains from archaeological contexts
• Bioarchaeology is a relatively new field, only around 50 years old
• Early views on human variation

  • Ancient recognition of regional differences and geography
  • One group often seen as 'better'
  • Formation of the 'other'
• Early scientific views on human races

  • Linnaeus' four categories based on geography, hair/skin colour, personality
  • Blumenbach's five races based on cranial studies/skin colour
  • Emphasis on morphology and description, static and distinct categories
• Science was used to justify racist views, including biological determinism and the concept of an Aryan master race
• Franz Boas tested the idea that races were static and found that skull shape does vary and is not fixed
• Creation of skeletal collections with known demographic information helped to develop standardised methodology in biological anthropology
• Sherwood L Washburn's "New Physical Anthropology" introduced a population biology approach with hypothesis testing based on adaptation and evolution
• Jane Buikstra coined the term "Bioarchaeology" and defined it as the study of human remains in archaeological contexts
• Topics in Bioarchaeology


  • Palaeopathology
  • Paleoepidemiology
  • Paleonutrition
  • Isotope Analyses
  • aDNA
  • Trace Element Analyses
  • Dental Anthropology
  • Palaeo-Imaging
  • Paleodemography
  • Non-adults
  • Morphometrics
  • Biodistance and Kinship
  • Environmental Stressors
  • Growth and Development
  • Ethics
  • Repatriation and Heritage
  • Social Theory
• Excavation of human skeletal remains


  Develop strategy and protocols to follow, minimise damage and thoroughly document, consider legal procedures and site context
• Types of burials


  • Single grave
  • Multiple/commingled grave
  • Mass grave
  • Cremation
  • Primary internment
• Subdisciplines of Bioarchaeology


  • Palaeopathology
  • Paleoepidemiology
  • Paleonutrition
  • Isotope Analyses
  • aDNA
  • Trace Element Analyses
  • Dental Anthropology
  • Palaeo-Imaging
  • Paleodemography
  • Non-adults
  • Morphometrics
  • Biodistance and Kinship
  • Environmental Stressors
  • Growth and Development
  • Ethics
  • Repatriation and Heritage
  • Social Theory
• Excavation of Human Skeletal Remains

  1. Excavation Methods

  2. Develop strategy and protocols

  3. Very destructive process

  4. Losing context as you dig

  5. Priority: Minimise damage and thoroughly document

  6. Legal procedures

  7. Timeframe

  8. Considerations: you're likely on someone's property

  9. What is the site to become?

  10. Grad student dig site

  11. w/ researchers?

  12. Field school?