Human remains in archaeology - Charlotte A Roberts|Council for British Archaeology

With reburial and repatriation very much a current focus of debate, this new
handbook presents a hugely useful and stimulating overview of
just how much we can learn from the study of human remains.
The book kicks off with a balanced summary of the legal framework
and ethical concerns regarding the excavation and display of
human remains, which emphasises public interest in skeletal
remains, as well as the need for their respectful treatment.
Sections follow on the context of skeletal remains and their
excavation - past funerary beliefs and traditions, and best
practice in excavating recording and conserving remains. The bulk
of the book however is given over to analysis - the techniques
for identifying age and sex, dating, the examination of health
diet and disease, and the compilation of data to analyse past
populations and create demographic surveys. A concluding section
on the future of bioarchaeology calls for greater dialogue with
archaeologists on reburial issues, but remains overwhelmingly
upbeat - "[Bioarchaeology] has emerged phoenix-like from the
ashes over the last twenty years and looks set to become a major
part of both academic and contract archaeology".