Shadows in the Soil: Human Bones and Archaeology

In explaining what the archaeologist can reliably deduce about past societies from the study of bones and other human remains, Dr. Tony Waldron carefully avoids over-technical jargon. He covers the subject under the three headings of Life, Death, and Disease. He explains first that bones give us information about age, sex, height, weight, working life, and the demography of a society. We also learn of the causes of death—whether natural or intentional—and the evidence for a whole range of diseases—from aching joints and teeth to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and syphilis.