Digging: The Good, The Bad and The Smelly!

Ever wondered which biohazards of the past might pose a risk on an archaeological site? How would they be identified? What historical diseases did they cause and do they pose a threat to the present and the archaeologists on site? If you’re curious then this is a wander through some of the interesting diseases in history and their impact today.

Archaeology is often considered an exciting research discipline that mostly consists of digging in exotic remote locations and studying shiny artefacts and old bones. A less well-known aspect of archaeology takes place in dark laboratories and the objects of study are not at all shiny (often carbonised and sometimes smelly) but is however not less exciting. Inés will share some of the most interesting case studies she’s worked on, from charred foodstuffs originating in cooking accidents dating to the Neolithic (roughly 5,000 years ago), to semidigested exotic foods from medieval cesspits- yuk!

Bones. CSI. NCSI. Criminal Minds.
We all love a good forensic drama, but what happens when the remains in front of the investigatory team have little to no flesh remaining? How do they go about identifying who the remains belonged to and how long the bones have been there?
Join me as I talk through one of the less commonly dramatised specialisms of forensic anthropology and where it sits within the larger field of forensic sciences.
Please note that his presentation will include discussions of death, genocide, and slightly misplaced enthusiasm about decomposition.