Resources available at the Centre for Human Bioarchaeology

The Centre for Human Bioarchaeology is based at the Museum of London, and is actively involved in the curation and osteological analysis of human skeletal remains excavated from  the City and Greater London area.

The Centre has a range of resources which may be used by researchers during their study-visit.

Facilities

  • A large osteological lab with work benches, and a small lab for research
  • Access to MoL and CHB library resources
  • Use of the Wellcome Osteological Research Database (WORD)
  • Access to the London Archaeological Archive Centre (LAARC)
  • Prehistoric to post-medieval samples of human remains
  • On-site curatorial staff

Equipment available

The standard equipment used to record human remains is available to visitors (see below); as is access to the reference collection. However, researchers must provide their own coordinate or specialist dental- callipers, mandibulometer, goniometer etc.

  • Osteometric boards
  • Calipers
  • Cranial calipers
  • France casts of the os pubis
  • Plastic cast of an articulated adult human skeleton
  • Two plastic casts of a half skeleton
  • Plastic cast of an adult human skull
  • Plastic cast of a foetal cranium
  • Two plastic 'exploded' casts of adult human skulls
  • Plastic articulated casts of an adult hand and foot
  • Model of dental development
  • Male and female plastic articulated pelvic girdles
  • Teaching collection of archaeologically derived human remains

Radiography facilities

The Centre for Human Bioarchaeology cannot offer radiography facilities.  However, we may permit a short-term loan, if researchers are able to organise for imaging to take place at a recognised insitution in the United Kingdom. The Museum of London does not permit the transport of its bioarchaeology collections across international borders.

Teaching collection

The teaching collection consists of the plastic casts listed above, as well as, disarticulated remains from archaeological sites that provide good examples of sexing and ageing morphology, dentition and pathology. A number of articulated skeletons from different sites and time periods have been marked for individual identification, so they may be used for teaching or open days by CHB curators.

Reference collection

The Centre has a rich and varied pathological reference collection of both skeletal elements and complete skeletons. The collection includes: healed fractures, non-united fractures, neoplasms, joint disease, congenital and developmental anomalies, dental disease and dental anomalies, and examples of infectious diseases such as syphilis, tuberculosis and osteomyelitis.

Computers

There are five operational computers available for use that all link to the Oracle Wellcome Osteological Research Database. There is the provision of a printer connected to all the computers, and one computer also has Adobe Photoshop.



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