Osteoarchaeology – also known as bioarchaeology or prehistoric osteoanthropology – investigates human skeletal remains in the archaeological context. This includes inhumations, displaced bones, and cremated remains. Bones allow information about lifestyle, health, and identity to be gained even many centuries or millennia after a person’s death.

Particular focus lies on biological age and sex, diseases, injuries, and individual characteristics, as can be generated in preliminary form through the osteological field assessment on the excavation. Within a scientific analysis, these results can not only be deepened, but additional details such as activity patterns, diet, migration movements, and population structures can also be examined.

Both morphological methods and laboratory analyses – such as ¹⁴C dating, aDNA, or isotope analysis – are available for this purpose.

We are happy to accompany you in making the past tangible through its people, excavating, documenting, and researching it – whether in developing scientific projects, training, public engagement, excavation fieldwork, or scientific analysis. We are also able to provide additional services, such as quality management of existing documentation, spatial data services, and digital documentation.