Course summary

This programme uses the unique archaeological collections of the University of Aberdeen, combined with state-of-the-art bioarchaeological approaches and techniques, to provide students with the knowledge and practical skills to analyse human skeletons from archaeological contexts. The University of Aberdeen’s Marischal Museum holds thousands of human skeletons from research and rescue excavations. Located in the iconic Marischal College building, in the heart of the city of Aberdeen, this collection includes extensive archaeological human skeletal collections, from Neolithic to Medieval and post-Medieval remains. In particular the collection has a rich assemblage of material from the major medieval towns of Aberdeen, Perth, and St Andrews, as well as prehistoric material from Neolithic and Bronze Age periods. There is also some international material from Egypt, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu. These collections provide unparalleled research and teaching opportunities for students at the University of Aberdeen. As part of the programme, students will actively work on these collections and where possible publish the results as part of student/staff projects. This new programme in the developing field of Osteoarchaeology and Palaeopathology (the study of human remains) will provide the knowledge and practical skills to unlock the rich stories of the human past, equipping students with the knowledge to understand some of the major trends in the development of human lifeways and societies.