Background
Human Osteoarchaeology Special Interest Group represents the interests of professionals who work or have an interest in the area of osteoarchaeology and burial studies. We aim to promote standards and good practice for the excavation, treatment, conservation, analysis and curation of human remains and funerary archaeology from the historic environment.
Osteobites talks
Throughout 2025, we will be running our Osteobites series of short talks followed by questions and discussion.
The next session will be held at 18:30 until 19:30 on Wednesday 23 April 2025, and will feature a talk by Human Skeletal Biologist, Dr Sarah Stark - Biomolecular Archaeology in the Threat-Led Sector: Updates on Historic England’s Commission Programme.
To register to attend April’s talk or for more information, visit the Osteobites booking page
The first session was held on Thursday 30 January 2025 and featured a talk by Tom Booth - Ancient DNA for Archaeologists: What it Can and Can’t Do and Why. To view the recording, visit CIfA’s YouTube channel
Join the Group
Membership is free to CIfA members through the Members area login. Those who are not members of the institute will need to pay an annual £10 fee and can join here
BlueSky: follow @cifaosteoarch.bsky.social on BlueSky
Facebook : join the private Facebook group for Human Osteoarchaeology Special Interest Group here
Committee
Samantha Tipper (Interim Chair)
Kirsty Squires (Secretary)
Sabrina Ki
Heidi Dawson-Hobbis
Jenny Mikkelsen
Milena Grzybowska
Rachel Ives
Aoife McCaughey
Sharon Clough (Advisor)
Specialist competence matrix
This specialist matrix is to assist applicants and the Validation committee to see where you demonstrate the grade applied for when working in Osteology.
Previous events
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Puberty in the Past Workshop and Human Osteology AGM
To assess the pubertal stage, seven individual osteological markers have been developed, including the extent of the development of the mandibular canine root and hook of hamate, fusion epiphyses of the hand phalanges, distal radius and humerus, and proximal ulna, the presence and fusion of the iliac crest epiphysis, and the morphology of the cervical vertebral body. A recording form has been developed to summarize the assessment criteria, to ease the application of the techniques. A summary table has also been developed to aid in the estimation of the stage of puberty the individual was experiencing, as well as an indication of the physical changes the body was undergoing at the time of death.
Three-year plan
Newsletters
AGM minutes
2024 AGM minutes
2023 AGM minutes
3 November 2021
29 September 2020
Committee meeting minutes
Committee meeting minutes 20 June 2024
Joint meeting minutes with FASIG 10 August 2023
