Skip main navigation

The week in review

We’ve covered a lot of information this week, as we prepare for our investigation of the case studies in Week 2.
Driving down a country road
© Griffith University

We’ve deliberately hit you with the theory up front – so congratulations on making it this far into our learning journey together.

This week we considered the principles of forensic and bio-archaeology:

  • Sensitivity in investigating human skeletal remains
  • Forensic and archaeological principles
  • Legislative requirements governing the discovery of human remains
  • The importance of site context
  • Differentiating between human and animal bones

We then took a quick look at some of the tools that we use to analyse human skeletal remains:

  • Craniometrics
  • Isotopes
  • DNA
  • Carbon 14

Next week, we are going to see some of the application of all of this theory, when we investigate three case studies from Australia and France. Join us for Week 2 to see the challenges presented by the sites and the finds and to listen to the fascinating stories that they tell.

Your task

Your task for this step is to pat yourself on the back.

(If you like you can also post what it is that you are most looking forward to next week when we look at our case studies – you know where the link is…)

© Griffith University
This article is from the free online

Written in Bone: An Introduction to Forensic and Bio-archaeology

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now