Bi8612c Comparative osteology - practical training

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Arwa Kharobi, PhD (seminar tutor)
prof. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Kévin Alexis André Salesse, M.Sc., Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable of Seminar Groups
Bi8612c/01: Thu 9:00–10:50 Bp2,01015a, A. Kharobi, P. Urbanová
Bi8612c/02: Thu 11:00–12:50 Bp2,01015a, A. Kharobi, P. Urbanová
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course aims to widen practical knowledges and experiences of students attending Comparative osteology lecture. Within the course students will be familiarized with methodologies and rules of manipulation with human and animal osteological findings.
Learning outcomes
In the end of the course the students will be able to: - apply basic comparative principles leading to anatomic description and taxonomic determination of documented material, - estimate age according to the skeletal samples; - describe basic taphonomic agents forming the taphonomic history of studied archeological site.
Syllabus
1.Distinguish between Animal and Human bone fragments (18/9) 2.Calculate the MNI (25/09) 3.Cremation and burnt remains – Kevin Salesse (02/10) 4.Test I (09/10) – Open session on the osteological assemblages 5.Record Activity & Aging Markers (16/10) 6.Estimate the Height (23/10) 7.Determine the Biological Sex (30/10) 8.Test II (06/11) - Open session on the osteological assemblages 9.Manipulate the subadults bones (13/11) 10.Estimate the Age (20/11) 11.Distinguish the health status (27/11) 13.Test III (04/12) - Open session on the osteological assemblages 14.Anthropological Analysis Report Presentations (11/12)
Literature
    required literature
  • WHITE, T. D. and Pieter A. FOLKENS. The human bone manual. Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic, 2005, xx, 464. ISBN 0120884674. info
  • Cunningham, C., Scheuer, L., & Black, S. (2016). Developmental Juvenile Osteology (2nd ed.). Academic Press.
  • Buikstra, J. E. (Ed.). (2019). Bioarchaeology: An Integrated Approach to Working with Human Remains. Routledge.
  • HAAS, Jonathan; Douglas H. UBELAKER; J. HAAS; D. A. KICE; C. R. NICHOL; D. W. OWSLEY; J. C. ROSE; M. J. SCHOENINGER; George Richard SCOTT; C. G. TURNER; P. L. WALKER and E. WEIDL. Standards for data collection from human skeletal remains : proceedings of a seminar at the Field Museum of Natural History, organized by Jonathan Haas. Edited by Jane E. Buikstra - David Aftandilian - M. Finnegan. Fayetteville, Arkansas: Arkansas Archeological Survey, 1994, vi, 206. ISBN 1563490757. info
    recommended literature
  • Adams, J. B., Crabtree, P. J. 2008: Comparative skeletal anatomy: A photographic atlas for medical examiners, coroners, forensic anthropologist and archeologist. New York: Springer.
  • FRANCE, Diane L. Human and nonhuman bone identification : a color atlas. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, 2009, xvii, 734. ISBN 9781420062861. info
  • Hupková, A., Urbanová, P., Pěnička, R. 2012: Virtuální učebnice pro studium morfologie kostry člověka. Dostupná na: http://anthrop.sci.muni.cz/page.yhtml?id=592
  • HILLSON, Simon. Mammal bones and teeth : an introductory guide to methods of identification. 1st pub. Walnut Creek, Calif.: Left Coast Press, 1992, ix, 64. ISBN 9780905853307. info
  • Reitz E. J., Wing, E. S. 2008: Zooarchaeology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • HILLSON, Simon. Teeth. 2nd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005, xiv, 373. ISBN 0521545498. info
  • LYMAN, R. Lee. Vertebrate taphonomy. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994, xxvi, 524. ISBN 0521458404. info
  • Marquez-Grant, N., & Fibiger, L. (Eds.). (2011). The Routledge Handbook of Archaeological Human Remains and Legislation: An international guide to laws and practice in the excavation and treatment of archaeological human remains. Routledge.
  • ROBERTS, Charlotte A. Human remains in archaeology : a handbook. 2nd edition. Bootham, York: Council for British Archaeology, 2018, xxiv, 312. ISBN 9781909990036. info
  • LARSEN, Clark Spencer. Bioarchaeology : interpreting behavior from the human skeleton. Second edition. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2015, xvi, 608. ISBN 9780521547482. info
Teaching methods
Preparation is conducted in form of practical training. Students (in small groups of 2) process under the supervision of lectors practical tasks. The course will be conducted in English language. The classes will be taught in person.
Assessment methods
Credit is awarded based on tasks, assignments and continuous study preparation on the training, which will be examined by: 1. three written tests (20-30 questions: multiple, open, and identifying fragmented bones) Important dates: First Test ((09/10) Second Test ((06/11) Third and Last test (04/12) >60% to pass the test 2. a final report contain the full analysis of the skeleton during the semester Important dates: the written report needs to be submitted on Monday 08/12 and presented orally on Thursday 11/12
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
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