Oxford summer school

In August 2006 Oxford University hosted an international summer school where Archaeology classes were attended by approximately 30 students, aged between 15 to18.

As part of the lecture series, one of the Centre for Human Bioarchaeology’s osteologists, Lynne Cowal, was invited to speak about human osteology and the benefits of human skeletal research.

Following a short lecture, students were permitted to handle archaeological specimens, and were encouraged to ask questions and discuss the ethical implications of studying human remains.

The group was particularly fascinated by examples of diseased bone and how people would be physically affected as a result.  This sparked an intelligent discussion among the group and ultimately resulted in a greater understanding of what it meant to live with disease and disability in the past.

To end the day, the more advanced students undertook several short forensic case studies designed to promote individual thought and highlight common misconceptions about skeletal identification.

It also provided them with the opportunity to put into practice several new skills they had learned over the course of the day, such as sexing skeletal remains and recognising pathological changes to dry bone.