The Bioarchaeology of Children
Perspectives from Biological and Forensic Anthropology

This book is devoted to the study of children's skeletons from archaeological and forensic contexts.

Mary E. Lewis (Author)

9780521121873, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 29 October 2009

268 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.4 kg

Review of the hardback: 'Anybody working in the field or studying biological and forensic anthropology and also archaeologists, will find this book a very welcome addition to their basic library.' Journal of Biosocial Science

This book is entirely devoted to the study of children's skeletons from archaeological and forensic contexts. It provides an extensive review of the osteological methods and theoretical concepts of their analysis. Non-adult skeletons provide a wealth of information on the physical and social life of the child from their growth, diet and age at death, to factors that expose them to trauma and disease at different stages of their lives. This book covers the factors that affect non-adult skeletal preservation; the assessment of their age, sex and ancestry; growth and development; infant and child mortality including infanticide; weaning ages and disease of dietary deficiency; skeletal pathology; personal identification and exposure to trauma from birth injuries, accidents and child abuse; providing insights for graduates and postgraduates in osteology, palaeopathology and forensic anthropology.

1. The bioarchaeology of children
2. Fragile bones and shallow graves
3. Age, sex and ancestry
4. Growth and development
5. Difficult births, precarious lives
6. Little waifs: weaning and dietary stress
7. Non-adult skeletal pathology
8. Trauma in the child
9. Future directions
References.

Subject Areas: Human biology [PSX], Physical anthropology [JHMP], Population & demography [JHBD], Archaeological science, methodology & techniques [HDW]