Human Osteology Short Courses
The course took place between 8 and 10 April 2024.
Led by doctoral researchers in Human Osteology and departmental staff, our Human Osteology short course provides a broad introduction to the skills and techniques of skeletal analysis of archaeological human remains.
Ranging from basic anatomy to skeletal pathology, this course is ideal as a taster for people interested in pursuing further study in biological anthropology/human osteology; a refresher for those who have previously worked with archaeological human remains; or an opportunity for amateur enthusiasts to learn more about what goes on in the osteology lab.
Course participants benefit from full access to our world-class teaching collections and facilities, along with the expertise of the department’s staff and researchers.
The course balances academic quality with friendly, engaging tuition.
Costs: £200 or £140 concession
Location: In-person in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Sheffield
Apply: The application portal
Indicative content
Day 1 |
|
|---|---|
| Human skeletal anatomy |
Identifying and siding bones of the human skeleton Laying out and recording a skeleton Bone microstructure |
| Biological sex |
Sexual dimorphism in the pelvis and skull Assessing biological sex |
Day 2 |
|
|---|---|
| Age assessment |
Growth and maturation of the skeleton Degenerative changes in adults Methods of age assessment |
| Human skeletal variation |
Estimating stature Ancestry and population affinities Skeletal variation - nonmetric traits |
Day 3 |
|
| Skeletal pathology | Disease and trauma |
| Funerary archaeology | A funerary context for human remains |
The course will also include opportunities to analyse skeletons from our teaching and research collections, and to assess your own learning in an informal ‘spotter test’.
Cancellations and refunds
Refund requests should be made by email to archaeology@sheffield.ac.uk, no less than seven days before the start of the course. We will endeavour to fill the course place, and in the event that a replacement is found a full refund will be made. If a replacement cannot be found a refund of 50% of the course fee will be made for cancellations made more than seven days before the start of the course. No refund will be made for cancellations made less than seven days before the course start date.
At the discretion of the course organisers, and in exceptional circumstances, participants that are unable to attend can defer their enrolment until the next Human Osteology short course.
If you are experiencing any difficulty please contact us as early as possible.