New Morbid Terminology: Coffin Birth
Since I’m currently in the process of preparing to defend my dissertation (yay!), I’m going to be re-posting some of my favorite past articles! Recently, Caitlin Doughty of “Ask a […]
Tag Archives: bioarchaeology
A Paleo-Forensic Study of an Assyrian Captive
One of the great strengths of archaeology is that it can act as independent evidence to history. History is often based on the text and interpretations of the victors. This […]
Weapon Trauma in Medieval Ireland
Myths and legends of Medieval Ireland describe this era as one of violence and conflict. The tales of Fionn mac Cumhaill and King Arthur describe roaming warbands and battles with […]
On the Trail of Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is one of the most infectious and fatal diseases worldwide. The spread of tuberculosis has been associated with social and biological factors, therefore determining its roots and tracing its […]
New Morbid Terminology: Grave Wax
Grave wax is a wax-like organic substance that appears as crumbly and waxy material consisting mostly of saturated fatty acids that appears in certain graves. The color of the wax depends […]
Animal Bones as Grave Goods in Iberian Burials
When we think of bones at cemetery or burial sites, we immediately think of the human remains. However, many prehistoric and early historic graves also contain the bones of animals. […]
Debating Biology and Culture
Prior to the 1980’s, individual attributes like gender, age and ethnicity were assumed to be biological traits that manifested themselves in different cultural ways. In archaeology this meant that if […]
Break a Leg! Fracture Treatment in Iron Age and Roman Britain
Medical treatment, despite our own Western perspective of science, is a cultural trait. How we choose to treat different forms of trauma, the methods of recovery, and the beliefs surrounding […]
The Feast of Men: Cannibalism in Fiji
Interpreting cannibalism is complex due to our own Western assumptions about the practice, a lack of attention to context of the acts, and the diverse reasons for its occurrence. Cannibalism […]
Tracking Violence Through Time in the Eastern Adriatic
Trauma is one method of examining how changes in political, economic or social systems are felt in the people who lived during these eras. Cultural and environmental shifts can change […]
Bones Don't Lie 