Learning about the past may begin at excavation, but in this bioarchaeology field school you will come to realize how much of the real understanding takes shape in the laboratory. Based at the University of Lancashire in the UK, this lab-based program trains you to analyze 1,500-year-old skeletal remains recovered from the early medieval Anglo-Saxon cemetery at the center of our East Kent Excavation. You’ll begin by developing a strong foundation in skeletal anatomy, learning how to determine age, biological sex, and signs of trauma or disease from human remains. From there, you’ll clean, record, and prepare remains from the East Kent site for a variety of cutting-edge analyses.

Throughout the program, you’ll also consider the ethical responsibilities that come with studying human remains and gain experience communicating archaeological research to the public. Through contributions to social media and participation in outreach events, you’ll take part in presenting complex and sensitive findings in thoughtful ways to the general public.

Field school highlights:

• Contribute to ongoing research of medieval cemeteries happening offsite, and consider the importance of post-excavation work.
• Learn in-depth skeletal analyst of both modern and archaeological human remains.
• Engage with the community via multiple avenues to consider how research can be effectively communicated and presented.