AR3S21: Biological anthropology

Module code: AR3S21

Module provider: Archaeology; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Mary Lewis, email: m.e.lewis@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This hands-on, highly vocational module will introduce you to the key methods employed by human bone specialists (bioarchaeologists/biological anthropologists). Through problem-based learning you will learn to identify human from non-human remains, assign a biological sex, age-at-death and stature to an individual skeleton, and to identify common pathologies (e.g. dental diseases, osteoarthritis, trauma). You will also be taught to identify bone fragments commonly encountered during an archaeological excavation and post-excavation analysis. The contribution data derived from human skeletal remains makes to our understanding of the past will be emphasised. Your weekly analysis will culminate in the production of a professional-style human bone report.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Evaluate the nature and quality of skeletal evidence, and explain how it can be used to infer mortuary behaviour as well as aspects of the life of past societies
2. Identify both adult and non-adult human skeletal remains and teeth, intact or fragmentary
3. Assign an age, sex and stature estimate to adult human remains
4. Identify normal from pathological changes to the skeleton

Module content

This module will cover anatomical terms, the excavation of human remains, preservation, assigning a biological sex and age-at-death to adult skeletons, stature and biodistance as well as identifying skeletal pathology and the examinations of non-adults. You will also receive a session on writing a professional skeletal report.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Over 11 weeks you will learn the methods required to undertake a preservation assessment, provide a biological sex and age estimation, calculate stature and record dental disease and any other pathological lesions. Each week an instructional illustrated lecture is followed by laboratory sessions where you will apply the methods using hands-n problem-based learning. The final weeks of the module are dedicated to an in-class test designed for you to assess your ability to identify fragmentary remains and apply key osteological skills, and to the finalisation and production of a professional-style osteology report.

Study hours

At least 37 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

One-to-one feedback provided in the practical sessions

Reassessment

Additional costs