Course Description

Bioarchaeology is an emerging discipline that emphasizes the human biological component of the archaeological record. Human skeletal and dental remains provide an important source of information on the study of human variation and the state of the human condition and human behavior in the past. This course will focus on the bioarchaeology of the Pacific-Asian region focusing on archaeological human skeletons. The regions to be covered in this course include Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia, Australia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Among the topics to be explored are musclo-skeletal indicators, paleodemography, paleopathology, dental anthropology, indicators of biological stress, trauma and violence, infectious diseases, biodistance studies, isotopic analysis of diet and nutrition.

Prerequisites: Anth 215, 215L; Anth 384, 384L; or consent of instructor.

Format: Some lectures and student-led discussions of assigned readings.

Text: Larsen, CS 1997. Bioarchaeology. Interpreting behavior from the human skeleton. Cambridge University Press.

Grading: Discussion (30 pts.); Proposal (10 pts.), Annotated Bibliography (25 pts.); Research Paper (35 pts.). Total points: 100.

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