Bioarchaeology: The Contextual Analysis of Human Remains - Hardcover

"...A rich history of bioarchaeology in North America is described by a number of the most experienced and prominent scholars. The authors give us everything: the necessary information, bioarchaeology of the past, and the present state pf this significant area of science. I thought I knew it all, but I learned much more. This book is a valuable gift to contemporary and future colleagues. It will be an important platform, a 'must' for students in the field. I call it a masterpiece!"... -Pia Bennike, University of Copenhagen

"...This book is rich in historical detail on the development of bioarchaeology but it also boldly confronts theoretical issues and controversies. This is the place to discover how the field of reconstructing human histories from skeletons has developed from early eighteenth-century precursors through the twentieth-century pioneers. Careful scholarship goes into redressing many of the current 'simplified' views of what those pioneers contributed to bioarchaeology. This book should provide a wealth of material for discussion in upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses."... -Shelley R. Saunders, McMaster University

"...Venturing far beyond cursory description and generic overview, this deeply introspective book tackles controversial issues head-on, sets a high standard for the study of intellectual history, and will undoubtedly initiate rich debate within the field."... -A. L. Grauer, Loyola University

"A remarkably compelling and comprehensive exploration of the history and future of bioarchaeology, with contributions by all the leading scholars in the discipline."... -Bruce Smith, Smithsonian Institute

"This book performs the dual roles of clarifying the term 'bioarchaeology' and positioning current research in its historical and social context. Advanced students and professionals in the field will welcome it as a source where the history of our field is documented. They, and readers from other fields, will enjoy learning about the complex and shifting factors that shape bioarchaeological research. The book performs a unique role. The editors are to be congratulated and thanked for undertaking this ambitious project."... - Susan Pheiffer, University of Toronto

"...The authors give us everything: the necessary information, bioarchaeology of the past, and the present state of this significant area of science. I thought I knew it all, but I learned much more. This book is a valuable gift to contemporary and future colleagues. It will be an important platform, a 'must' for students in the field. I call it a masterpiece!"...

Jane Buikstra heads the Center for Bioarchaeology at Arizona State University and is a member of the National Academy of Science. Her work in the Lower Illinois River Valley fostered the development of Bioarchaeology and she continues to be the leading scholar in this field. Lane Beck is an Associate Curator of Bioarchaeology at the Arizona State Museum and Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. She has nearly 30 years of field and laboratory experience in Bioarchaeology. Her major interests involve Bioarchaeology, Ethnohistory, and Mortuary Analysis.