Curating Large Skeletal Collections
An Example from the Ancient Maya Site of Copán, Honduras
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13085478 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Katherine A Miller Wolf (0000-0002-8861-2700, Indiana University East, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2019 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 30-39 |
| Publication date | 2019-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Advances in Archaeological Practice (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2326-3768 • E-ISSN: 2326-3768 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/aap.2018.46 |
| OpenAlex | W2624885171 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 21 |
Archaeologists strive to understand ancient lifeways, and bioarchaeological data provide honest and immutable evidence of the realities of ancient society in the bodies of the dead. Given the importance of human remains in the archaeological record, a major component of the author's work has been devoted to the ethical responsibilities of bioarchaeologists in the treatment of the collections studied. However, the curation of skeletal remains is often challenging because the conservation and storage of these delicate materials may be afterthoughts in archaeological plans, being inadequately or incorrectly stored and sometimes treated to the same conservation conditions as more robust artifacts and samples. This article offers guidelines and recommendations for skeletal curation based on observations of curation challenges in a large collection in the subtropical Maya region. The collection was not well managed and human remains were not prioritized in the conservation program. The challenges and mitigations are presented here
Archaeology · Maya · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies · History · Paleopathology and ancient diseases
Detection of significant demographic differences between subpopulations of prehispanic Maya from Copan, Honduras, by survival analysis
A Checklist for Sustainable Management of Archaeological Collections
Digital Modeling for Bioarchaeologists
Field Conservation of Skeletal Remains
Implementing Photogrammetry in Three Bioarchaeological Contexts
Excavation and Curation Strategies for Complex Burials in Tropical Environments
Bone isotope ratios and their bearing on elite privilege among the Classic Maya
Dusting Off the Data
An elusive paleodemography? A comparison of two methods for estimating the adult age distribution of deaths at late Classic Copan, Honduras
Multiscalar Model of Rural Households and Communities in Late Classic Copan Maya Society
The Children of Copan
Codes of ethics for conservation
Study and restudy of curated skeletal collections in bioarchaeology
Maya Diets of the Rich and Poor
An Estimate of Mortality in a Pre-Columbian Urban Population
Curation as research. A case study in orphaned and underreported archaeological collections
Resolving the Crisis in Archaeological Collections Curation
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.71 |
| Citation span | 2019 - 2024 (6) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |