c1447d0d_Americans_Prehistoric_Glossary__e_and_or_used_by_human_beings_
[Anthropology] Human osteology
Osteology is the study of bones. Human osteology is a specialized type of osteology in which scientists study the skeletal remains of human beings excavated by archaeologists. Prehistoric human skeletal remains are found in villages and cemeteries, some of which are mounds of earth. Archaeologists carefully expose the remains with hand tools t o preserve the position of the body and the relationship of any objects placed in the grave. Osteologists identify bones by comparing their size and shape with modern specimens. After identifiying each bone, osteologists examine various elements of the skeleton to determine the age and sex of the individual. They also look for eveidence of disease or trauma to learn about diet, injury, and overall health. Information from the osteologist is combined with that of ther scientists to develop a more complete picture of the past.
Native Americans:Prehistoric:Glossary
Anthropology is the study of origins of human beings and their cultures worldwide. In addition to documenting a particular culture, anthropologists are interested in how and why human culture changes. The science of anthropology is divided into several subfields including physical anthropology, the study of the origins and development of human beings; cultural anthropology, the study of human culture or the means by which human beings sustain life; linguistics, the study of human language; and archaeology, the study of human life based primarily on the recovery of artifacts, objects made and/or used by human beings.