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ARCH31010

Academic Year 2026/2027

Human Osteoarchaeology (ARCH31010)

Subject:
Archaeology
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Archaeology
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Jess Beck
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Knowledge of human osteology is key for fields such as archaeology, biological anthropology, forensic anthropology, anatomy, and medicine. This course introduces students to human skeletal anatomy and the field of osteoarchaeology, the study of human skeletal remains from archaeological sites. The first half of the course provides an introduction to skeletal anatomy for anthropologists and archaeologists and covers the entire human skeleton, with sections on growth, development, and pathology. The skeletal anatomy of select fauna will be used to demonstrate the functional morphology of each bone. This second half of the course introduces students to the basic methods of human skeletal analysis, including assessing the age, sex, health, and stature of an individual using their bones. Overall, the module will highlight how osteoarchaeology can aid archaeologists in reconstructing key aspects of past lives—including identity and lived experiences of diet, trauma, and mobility—and contribute to our understanding of what it means to be human, in both the past and the present.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:
• Identify individual bones and recognise key skeletal features
• Distinguish human and non-human bones
• Estimate age, sex, stature, and Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) from human remains
• Understand how osteoarchaeology can illuminate the identity and lived experiences of people in the past

Indicative Module Content:

Week 1: Anatomical Terminology, Bone Biology, and Ethics + The Skull
Week 2: The Skull + Teeth
Week 3: The Spine and Chest + The Shoulder Girdle
Week 4: The Arm and Forearm + The Wrist
Week 5: The Hand and Fingers + The Pelvic Girdle
Week 6: Open Review
Week 7: The Thigh and Leg + The Ankle and Foot
Week 9: Growth, Development, and Pathology + Estimating Subadult Age
Week 10: Estimating Adult Age + Assessing Sex
Week 11: Comparative Functional Anatomy + Taphonomy, Trauma, MNI, and Stature
Week 12: Open Review

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Not addressed

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Not addressed

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Not addressed

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Competent

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Novice

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Novice

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

34
Autonomous Student Learning

130
Lectures

12
Laboratories

24
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures
Osteology labs

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Bone Notebook: You will sketch skeletal elements and features from multiple perspectives, including notes on identification and siding tricks; notebook will also be used for review before assessments. Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
30
 No
Practical Skills Assessment: Osteology Assessment 1: In-class assessment that will include hands-on identification/assessment of skeletal elements and anatomical features, plus short-answer questions. Week 7 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No
35
 No
Practical Skills Assessment: Osteology Assessment 2: In-class assessment that will include hands-on identification/assessment of skeletal elements and anatomical features, plus short-answer questions Week 12 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No
35
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 1 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

The recommended textbook is:

Steele, D.G., & Bramblett, C.A. (1988). The anatomy and biology of the human skeleton. Texas A&M University Press.

This book is currently out of print, but I've had great success finding used copies for reasonable prices online with used book retailers in the past.

Additional readings will be posted on the module Brightspace.

Name Role
Maria Serrano Ruber Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Mon 14:00 - 14:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Tues 14:00 - 15:50
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