Old bones

Osteoarchaeology has functioned as a supplementary discipline to archaeology in Norway on varying conditions over the years. In recent years, physical, chemical and biomolecular analytic methods have been developed which importantly increase the potential of skeletal remains as source material, both in archaeology and other disciplines. At the same time, there is a growing concern about the ethics associated with using this material in research, and in handling and curating it. In February 2011, a two-day symposium took place with the purpose of examining the past, present and future status of osteoarchaeology within this country's cultural heritage management. This book comprises seventeen articles based on presentations given at the symposium. The main object of the book is to present and discuss the many facets of Norwegian osteoarchaeology, and to demonstrate the interdisciplinary activities of scholars and scientists in this field. Dr. philos. Berit J. Sellevold (born 1941) has recently retired from her position as senior research scientist in osteoarchaeology in NIKU - Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research. Her many publications deal with interdisciplinary research on human skeletal remains from archaeological find contexts in Norway and Denmark, from prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval times. Among her most important publications are From De.ath to Life in Medieval Hamar - Skeletons and Graves as Historical Source Material (Oslo 2001) and Iron Age Man in Denmark (Copenhagen 1984) which she published together with the Danish archaeologist Ulla Lund Hansen.