How To Excavate Human Remains

What happens when archaeologists discover human remains? In this short online course, you’ll learn the key skills that archaeologists and osteoarchaeologists use – in the field, in the lab, and beyond.

In four concise chapters, this online course will introduce you to the ethical treatment of archaeological human remains, the process of excavating them, and what happens next.

As well as teaching the basics of how to identify human remains, and assess the age, sex, stature, and signs of trauma or pathologies evident in individual burials, it’s designed to be a practical guide to what you really need to know when you’re in the field: unlike other courses, it takes you step-by-step through the considerations at all stages of fieldwork – from discovery, to reburial.

You’ll also be able to explore a series of real-life case studies, using photos and 3D models from recent excavations to make observations, and discuss them in the course chat with your course tutor and classmates.

By the end, you’ll walk away with the foundational knowledge you need for working with human remains, a clearer idea of whether further study in osteoarchaeology is for you, and the practical next steps you can take to gain real, hands-on experience.

What you will learn

By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:

• Evaluate the different ethical considerations that archaeologists are entrusted with during the excavation, study, care, and display of human remains
• Describe the different types of burials and other archaeological human remains
• Explain why some burials are excavated and others are left in situ
• Describe the step-by-step process of excavating and lifting human remains
• Record burials using context sheet recording and on-site photography
• Collect samples for further lab-based testing
• Describe how human remains are conserved and prepared for further study in the Finds Room
• Assess the age, sex, and stature of an individual
• Observe signs of trauma and pathology on an individual
• Understand how on-site decisions can affect the conservation of human remains and what we can learn from them
• Identify your next steps to gaining further practical experience in working with human remains

Who is this course for?

This course is for anyone who is interested in archaeology, and how archaeologists and osteoarchaeologists investigate burials and human remains.

It is specifically designed for people who might be working, volunteering, or contributing to archaeological fieldwork projects where human remains might be found in the UK.

It will also be useful for students or practitioners who want to explore the possibility of specialising in osteology, osteoarchaeology, or bioarchaeology.

What’s different about this course?

While there are many textbooks and online resources that can help you learn how to assess the age, sex, and stature of an individual once their remains have been excavated, there are few that are geared towards preparing you for the realities of working with human remains in the field. From how you identify a human burial and decide whether or not it should be excavated, through the step-by-step process of excavation and the other considerations you need to make on site, this course is designed to do exactly that.

How it works

This course is 100% online, and comprises four chapters which you can complete on a weekly basis, or in your own time.

To join the course, you’ll need to become a DigVentures Subscriber.

Once you’ve Subscribed, you’ll then receive email prompts when the course begins, and as each chapter is unlocked.

Details of any additional live seminars will be available on our What’s On page.

As a Subscriber, you will have access to the course content for as long as you remain a Subscriber, as well as access to:

• a course chat where you can discuss topics and case studies, or request help from your course tutor
• other DigVentures courses, including How To Do Archaeology

Archaeological Skills Passport

This course contributes to a number of competencies identified in the Archaeological Skills Passport. Although hands-on experience in the field, under the guidance of a supervisor, is a necessary requirement to be signed off on those skills, this course will certainly give you a head start on the following:

• Excavation and lifting skeletons
• Collection of samples (from burials)
• Context sheet recording (of burials)
• Site photography (for burials)

Disclaimers

This course contains images and other digital content depicting archaeological human remains from recent excavations.

The contents and step-by-step processes described are based on best-practice and common scenarios in the UK. Different considerations, practices, and priorities may apply in other countries.

Your tutors

This course has been developed by DigVentures, in consultation with human remains specialists and osteoarchaeologists registered with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.

During the course, you’ll have support from DigVentures staff through the course chat. You’ll meet them online when the course begins!