Anthropology
Open Access

The Steps Involved in Bioarchaeology and their Significance

^*Correspondence: Anumalusetty Manikanta, Department of Anthropology, Punjab University, Chandigarh, India, Email:

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Description

Bioarchaeology is the study of human remains in an archaeological context. It is also known as osteoarchaeology. It is generally used to study all biological remains of fauna and flora recovered from an archaeological site. The steps involved in bioarchaeology are mapping, measuring, and artifact collection, cleaning, sorting, counting, and drawing of artifacts. Maps are important to archaeologists because they illustrate the connections between artifacts, ecofacts, features, and the landscape. Archaeologists sometimes refer to these connections and associations as spatial relationships. From dendrochronology to comparing designs over the centuries, archaeologists collect clues to estimate the age of artifacts. "Artifact" is perhaps the most basic and comprehensive term in both modern and historical archaeological practice. In general, it is any "object" created or modified by a human culture. Artifacts are then classified by type of material, such as stone, pottery, metal, glass, or bone, and then into subgroups based on similarities in shape, composition, or manufacturing process.

Steps

A bio fact (also known as an Eco fact) is any organic material discovered at an archaeological site that has not been technologically altered by humans but still has cultural significance. Seeds, charcoal, minerals, and unmodified shells or bones are just a few examples of ecofacts. Archaeologists examine the data collected in the lab and field. They might look for designs in the data, unpredicted inventions, comparisons with other places, statistical trends. After the process of excavation, they record the composition of artifacts and the place of digging. These ecofacts are cleaned by brushing to remove dirt. Artifacts should be stored in acid-free boxes, foam, tissue, folders and hangers that are built with metal or wood. Most difficult adhering material e.g. B. carbonate concretions can be removed by gentle mechanical removal with a scalpel, bamboo. Museum stores artifact in a tightly closed display case that provide stable temperature and relative humidity to protect against dirt and dust. If museum cannot offer storage boxes for artifacts then they should be drape with unbleached, cotton, and undyed cloth. Avoid storage of artifacts on the ground as well as near water pipes, windows, water heaters, and HVAC vents and units. The aim of bioarchaeology is to contribute the archaeological interpretation and to open up new perspectives on cultural patterns and processes in the past. Skeletal biology, its fundamental discipline within physical (biological) anthropology, provides the fundamental basis for the study of recovered human remains.

Conclusion

This forms an important part of the archaeological excavation record. Ancient Cultural artifacts are significant because they offer awareness on economic development, technological processes and social structure, among other features. Bioarchaeology allows us to know what type of food they ate and how consumption habits changed over time for them and their descendants. Ethno archaeology helps archaeologists to reconstruct ancient ways of life by examining the tangible and intangible traditions of modern people societies. Bio archaeologists study skeletal trends at the population level. They collect data about groups of individuals to explain biological and cultural patterns within and between samples. They are used to preserve archaeological residues and collect data that explains about the ancient period.