ABSTRACT
Originally, bioarchaeology was focused on the measurement of skeletal remains (osteology). In the majority of cases in the United States and several other countries, Native people are consulted before archaeological excavations, and the treatment of human burials is negotiated before the initiation of fieldwork. In both archaeological studies and contemporary forensic cases, the commingled remains need to be separated and individuals need to be identified by using detailed analyses of age, sex, condition, and preservation. The bioarchaeologist can also usually estimate the person’s sex and age at death, their stature, and sometimes characteristics of the population in which they shared genes. Bioarchaeology, like forensic anthropology, requires a thorough understanding of human bones. Early bioarchaeologists dealt primarily with skeletal materials and conducted analyses to gain an understanding of the history of individuals: their nutrition, health and trauma. Many of the techniques and methods of bioarchaeology are employed in modern forensic cases.
