Osteology Laboratory

Within the Department of Archaeology are considerable laboratory facilities dedicated to teaching and research in the field of Human Osteology. Furthermore, the lab has an extensive human skeletal reference collection comprising archaeological human bone from a variety of locations and time periods, as well as a sizeable collection of modern primates and teaching grade casts of modern human and fossil hominid specimens. The material within our reference collection is frequently used by researchers from all walks of life, with students being the most frequent visitors. Research areas covered by our staff and students include human osteology, palaeoanthropology, primatology and funerary archaeology.

The first osteological research at the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology began in 1972, when eminent surgeon Judson Chesterman decided to conduct research on human skeletal remains from archaeological sites.

The newly independent Department of Archaeology and Prehistory opened in 1976, and by 1980 the department was offering its first osteology practical classes to undergraduate students. The first MA course in Osteology, Palaeopathology and Funerary Archaeology began in 1984. Sixteen students had graduated this course by the time it was suspended in 1988, following the death of Judson Chesterman.

The course resumed in 1990, taught jointly with the Department of Archaeological Sciences at the University of Bradford. The new MSc was co-directed by Charlotte Roberts and Andrew Chamberlain. Other staff members closely associated with the course included Mike Parker Pearson and Elizabeth Rega. Pia Nystrom joined the department in 1995. From 2000 onwards Sheffield and Bradford began running separate MSc courses, the Sheffield version becoming the current MSc in Human Osteology and Funerary Archaeology.

In 2013 we are pleased to welcome Elizabeth Craig-Atkins and Diana Swales as the newest staff members at the Osteology Lab.