Bio/Archaeological Techniques and Research Center
BIOARCH CANADA
Juvenile Osteology Research Laboratory Workshop
(Bioarchaeology of Children)
Medieval Crisis Populations - Victims of Change
Székelyudvarhely, Harghita County,
Transylvania, Romania
July 4 to July 30, 2027
The Székeler's Story from a different viewpoint
Our Juvenile Osteology Research Workshop is a more advanced continuation of the Adult Osteology Workshop. The aim of this workshop is to provide participants with an intensive review of juvenile osteology and an overview of the ways in which this kind of unique information is interpreted by bioarchaeologists. During the workshop, participants will have the chance to study the growth and development of the human skeleton across various juvenile age cohorts, ranging from pre-natal to pre-adult. Most importantly, participants will have the opportunity to gain hands on experience with the analysis of exceptionally well preserved juvenile skeletal remains.
LOGISTICS
Location: Székelyudvarhely, Hatghita County, Transylvania, Romania
Dates:
Session 1 : July 6- July 30, 2027
Housing: housed in a beautifully renovated hotel, 2-3 participants per room, with private bathrooms
Meals: breakfast and dinner are served Mon-Fri at the hotel; traditional Romanian and Szekler cuisine; we can accommodate vegetarian diets, however, we are NOT able to offer a vegan or gluten-free option.
FIELD PROGRAM COST (non-credit):
Session 1: US$ 3395 (4 weeks)
Fees include: registration and field fees, lectures, field and laboratory gear, housing and meals as described above. Academic credits/tuition not included in the above cost.
The aim of this project is to evaluate to what extent and how the major political events of the 16th and 17th centuries have impacted physically local populations, especially the children. During the 2013 season of our Osteology Workshops we uncovered a very interesting and unique phenomenon: during the 17th century, the inside of some of the churches in the region of Odorheiu Secuiesc, in the heart of Transylvania (Romania), was dedicated to infant burials. Our initial study of the church in Teleac/Telekfakva showed one adult, 69 juveniles out of which 48 were of preterm or fetal age.
During the next stage of the project, started in 2014, we started to address how the health of the children in the various cohorts, ranging from preterm to pre-adult, varies in this period of crisis. The very good preservation of the medieval osteological material and the high quality of the recovery during excavation provides a unique opportunity for a very intensive hands-on experience while working with juvenile osteological remains. This laboratory workshop session is intended for students with some previous osteological experience. Knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of the human anatomy and morphology is highly recommended.
In addition to hands-on laboratory instruction, participants will also contribute to numerous seminar discussions and hear lectures on topics related to the bioarchaeology of children. The workshop comprises daily intensive lectures on infant anatomy and pathology, group discussions, laboratory work, bone restoration and analysis, leading to individual and group research projects and presentations as part of the Eleventh International Osteology and Bioarchaeology Student Colloquium in Odorheiu Secuiesc. Topical areas to be included involve the following subject areas: an overview of the bioarchaeology of children, growth and development, weaning and dietary stress, juvenile trauma and pathology, and reconstruction and interpretation of infant mortality. Moreover, seminars and lectures will introduce how novel technological applications (i.e., histology, CT imaging) have been utilized by bioarchaeologists who study juvenile remains.
Students who wish to expand their skills and experience in the field can register for an additional 4 week session of the Medieval Cemetery Funerary Excavation, or the Roman Villa Excavations immediately preceding the Juvenile Osteology Workshop. Or students can participate in the Georgian Neolithic Excavations, with a two week break between the two projects (June 19-July 6) to travel between the wo countries and explore them further. Note that previous experience in human anatomy and osteology, such as our Adult Osteology Research Laboratory Workshop or equivalent, is recommended but not mandatory.
