Anthropology 366

Human Osteology Laboratory

Syllabus

Fall Term 2003

Instructor: Guy Tasa

Office: Condon 253 or Moss Street Lab (1724 Moss Street)

Office Hours: Tu 10:00 - 10:50; Th 8:00 - 8:50

Phone: 346-5101; 346-3020

Lecture Meetings: Condon 260; Tu 8:00 - 9:50

Lab Sections: Condon 368; Th 9:00 - 11:20; Th 11:30 - 13:50; Th 14:00 - 16:20

Graduate Teaching Assistant: Jeanne McLaughlin, Office: Condon 366A; Office Hours: 8-10:30

Course Objectives: Osteology is the study of the skeleton. This course is designed to train students in the analysis and interpretation of human skeletal remains, primarily those derived from prehistoric archaeological contexts. Methods for human skeletal identification, metric and observational description of skeletal variation and the analysis and presentation of research results will be introduced. The student will be capable of preliminary estimations of age, sex, race and stature of individual specimens.

Course Organization: The course is organized into four main sections, each building on the preceding section, to accomplish the objectives listed above. The sections will follow as closely as possible the sequence in which a trained osteologist would conduct research.

I Excavation and Identification: Human Skeletal Anatomy

II General Skeletal Attributes: Sex, Age, Race, Stature

III Human Osteological Variability: Osteometry and Morphology

IV Human Osteological Variability: Pathology -- Culture and Environment

The majority of the class will be devoted to the identification of human skeletal remains and secondarily to aspects of human skeletal analysis. Students will gain maximum benefit from the laboratory session if weekly reading assignments are completed prior to the Monday class meeting. Lecture and lab attendance is mandatory for successful completion of this course!

Course Grade: Student's progress in gaining the skills of human osteology will be evaluated by eight, 25-point, 15 minute quizzes (given each Thursday at the beginning of lab class), ten 10-point lab exercises (completed on Thursday and due on the following Thursday), one 50-point midterm exam, and one 100-point final. Students may use other lab section times for additional study or lab completion if space is available.

Required Texts:

The Anatomy and Biology of the Human Skeleton by D. Gentry Steele and Claud A. Bramblett

Human Skeletal Remains: Excavation, Analysis, Interpretation by Douglas H. Ubelaker

Optional Texts:

Human Osteology: A Laboratory and Field Manual of the Human Skeleton by William Bass

Standards for Data Collection from Human Skeletal Remains by Jane Buikstra and Douglas Ubelaker

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Last updated on October 27, 2003 by Guy Tasa