Author Archives: JB

Abduction and Adduction

Posted on September 2, 2015 by JB

I always have a great time when I teach the anatomical terminology of  movement because students find it so easy to engage with the material. In my Science of Skeletons class I began experimenting with a charades-style activity that required … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy, Bioarchaeology Vocab | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Osteology Everywhere: Michigan Breweries Edition

Posted on August 16, 2015 by JB

This has been my first full summer in Michigan, so all of my time not spent teaching or engaged in course prep has been spent on the road, exploring what this state has to offer when temperatures are above freezing. … Continue reading →

Posted in Osteology Everywhere, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Osteology Everywhere: Ikea Edition

Posted on August 6, 2015 by JB

A few weeks ago I headed to Ikea with one of my graduate colleagues who had never visited the Swedish furniture emporium before. While there, we discovered an awesome skeletally-themed twin bedspread. We also found out that I had dressed particularly … Continue reading →

Posted in Bioarchaeology, Osteology Everywhere | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Osteology Everywhere: Innominate Edition

Posted on July 23, 2015 by JB

Two weeks ago, during our second week of The Science of Skeletons, I covered the osteological estimation of sex and bioarchaeological approaches to reconstructing gender in the past. Unsurprisingly, that was the week I started to see ossa coxae everywhere I … Continue reading →

Posted in Osteology Everywhere, Pelvis | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Responses Needed for Public Archaeology and Blogging Survey!

Posted on July 13, 2015 by JB

I recently received an email from Fleur Schinning, an archaeology enthusiast pursuing a Master’s in Heritage Management at Leiden University in the Netherlands. She’s writing her thesis on the use of blogs and social media and how they contribute to the accessibility of … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Blogging | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Supination

Posted on July 6, 2015 by JB

I recently started teaching my first self-designed course at the University of Michigan, an intro to bioarchaeology class titled The Science of Skeletons. We had our first meeting last Thursday, and in addition to demonstrating the appropriate way to handle human … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy, Bioarchaeology Vocab, Osteology | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Splanchnocranium

Posted on June 25, 2015 by JB

I’ve been reading a lot of research on the bioarchaeology of violence of late, thought-provoking  pieces by Haagen Klaus, Deb Martin and Gwen Robbins Schug that detail the ways in which the ideology of oppression is mediated by violence. In theory, this … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy, Bioarchaeology Vocab, Osteology | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Pop Culture Osteology: Scandal

Posted on June 18, 2015 by JB

I was recently unwinding by watching Scandal, a show that I think about entirely in capslock. INTRIGUE. OLIVIA POPE. SUSPENSE. THINGS BEING HANDLED. Sample quote: “My mother blew up the church that’s costing you your presidency.” As you can tell, this level … Continue reading →

Posted in Osteology, Pop Osteology | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Caries

Posted on June 12, 2015 by JB

One of the little known benefits of studying ancient human teeth is that during my weeks or months of analyzing skeletal remains, I suddenly become EXTREMELY CONCERNED about my own dental health. Brushing twice daily, flossing, gargling with mouth wash, you name it … Continue reading →

Posted in Bioarchaeology Vocab, Human Teeth | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

NSF Funding Needs Your Support!

Posted on June 3, 2015 by JB

I was describing the nature of my blog to someone recently and glossed its contents as consisting essentially of “Amusing pictures of animals. And some osteology.” However, in sharp contrast to my usual tongue-in-cheek self deprecation, this is one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Archaeology, Biological Anthropology | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment