ANTH2337: Reading the Skeleton

• Human Evolution and Diversity (ANTH1091) OR Organisms and Environment (BIOL1161) OR Scientific Methods in Archaeology 1 (ARCH1041) OR Applied Archaeological Methods (ARCH1081)

• None.

• None.

• To develop awareness and understanding of the patterns and processes of morphological variation and diversity in humans and/or other primates
• To introduce and critically evaluate methods in skeletal biology and morphological research
• To provide a critical awareness of the ethical debates in the collection and curation of human remains
• To provide students for Level 3 modules requiring an understanding of human and/or other primate morphology

• Fundamentals of skeletal morphology and variation
• Human and/or non-human primate growth
• Critical awareness of the relationship between colonial legacies and methods applied in biological anthropology

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Factual material: Knowledge of normal skeletal anatomy and an understanding of methods or age, sex, stature and population affinity estimation.
• Theoretical foundations: understanding of concepts of variation and diversity, how variation arises through evolution, functional adaptation, growth and plasticity, with particular reference to humans and/or non-human primates.
• Methodological foundations: knowledge of techniques used in skeletal biology and morphological research.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Familiarity with the key methods and concepts of morphological diversity and variation, and how they arise through evolution, adaptation, growth and plasticity.
• Understanding of the technical vocabularies of human evolution, morphology, growth and skeletal biology as these apply to anthropology.
• The ability to link morphological variation and diversity in humans and/or primates ('pattern') to the processes that created such diversity.
• Practical skills in the analysis of human morphological variation.
• The ability to critically evaluate arguments and evidence in skeletal morphology research and literature.

Key Skills:

• Critical thinking.
• Ability to extract and integrate key concepts from primary research material.
• Written and/or oral communication of difficult concepts.
• Proficiency in identifying key material in the scientific literature.
• Identifying and understanding biases in methods and literature concerning skeletal biology

• Lectures cover subject-specific knowledge.
• Practicals cover subject-specific knowledge and develop key analytical skills.
• Summative assessment comprises a 2000 word or equivalent reflective journal on a current issue relating to the module content (to be agreed with the module tutor).
• The reflective journal may be in the form of writing, vlog, podcast, poster or other agreed with the module tutor.
• Formative assessment will be a 500 word project proposal.
• The module will have its own Learn Ultra site which will ensure that students have access at all times to the course information they require.

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