Bioarchaeology in Ancient Egyptian Samples-First Steps

Course review:

This course is a fantastic opener to an extremely interesting subject. Bioarchaeology examines the human remains of a population and ascertains patterns of disease, stress and nutrition as witnessed in the bones themselves. Where, we are lucky to have soft tissue samples, more can be studies microscopically, and these techniques will be discussed to. There is a small project to complete by the end of the term to successfully complete the course and be awarded certification. You will also be given weekly homework, to ensure you have understood the weekly curriculum.

This class takes on only 30 students per ten week session, so book now to avoid disappointment.

Course content:

Week One- Course handbook and coursework assignments.
An introduction to 100 years of bioarchaeology in ancient Egypt.

Week Two- Techniques

Week Three- Stress markers in Ancient Egyptian populations

Week Four- Disease in Ancient Egyptian populations

Week Five- Diet of Ancient Egyptian’s using bioarchaeology

Week Six- Dental Pathology

Week Seven- Case studies- Cemeteries in Ancient Egypt

Week Eight- Case Studies- Skeletal remains

Week Nine- Case Studies- Mummies

Week Ten- Cemetery demographics and interpreting raw data

The course project
Perhaps one of the highlights of the course is being given 'a case of your own', where you will be given information about either a mummy or skeleton and you must select which techniques you would use to examine the remains. You will also be given a second mummy or skeleton where tests have already been performed, information is provided in raw form and you must interpret everything.