Our bones can reveal fascinating information about how we have lived, from the food we have eaten to our levels of activity and the infections and injuries we have suffered. Elizabeth Weiss introduces readers to how lifestyle-in complex interaction with biology, genes, and environment-affects health in this distinctive tour of human osteology, past and present. Centering on health issues that have arisen in the last 50 to 60 years rather than thousands of years ago, Paleopathology in Perspective is organized around particular bone traits such as growth patterns, back pains, infections, and oral health. Each chapter explains one category of traits and reviews data drawn from both ancient and more contemporary populations to explore how global trait trends have changed over time. Weiss also considers the likely causes of these changes-for example, the growth of obesity, increased longevity, and greater intensity of childhood sports. Taking a long view of bones, as Weiss clearly demonstrates, provides clues not just about how ancient humans once lived, but also how biology and behavior, lifestyle and health, remain intrinsically linked.

The second edition of The Human Organism: Explorations in Biological Anthropology covers essential topics in evolution, including evolutionary theory, basic genetics, primates, paleontology, and human variation. Featuring updated readings, this book uses a variety of materials ranging from Darwin's original works to popular science writing, to make the information interesting, timely, and relevant. The Human Organism teaches students that evolution is pertinent to daily life and that understanding evolutionary concepts can help them make informed health decisions, improve their relationships, and increase their understanding of others. Much of the material was selected specifically to help students see the important connections between evolution and contemporary human existence. This textbook also stimulates critical thinking by choosing material from key players in the field who have challenged conventional interpretations of the evidence. It encourages them to analyze data, research, and conclusions. The second edition engages students with activity pages at the end of each chapter. Activities range from map questions to well-crafted crossword puzzles. The Human Organism features over 150 illustrations, photos, and maps. Each chapter has a case study that highlights a controversy relevant to the topic of study to help students grasp abstract concepts and apply them to concrete questions. Accessible to students with little or no previous exposure to the subject matter, The Human Organism is well-suited to general education biological anthropology courses.

Engaging a current controversy important to archaeologists and indigenous communities, Repatriation and Erasing the Past takes a critical look at laws that mandate the return of human remains from museums and laboratories to ancestral burial grounds. Anthropologist Elizabeth Weiss and attorney James Springer offer scientific and legal perspectives on the way repatriation laws impact research.Weiss discusses how anthropologists draw conclusions about past peoples through their study of skeletons and mummies and argues that continued curation of human remains is important. Springer reviews American Indian law and how it helped to shape laws such as NAGPRA (the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act). He provides detailed analyses of cases including the Kennewick Man and the Havasupai genetics lawsuits. Together, Weiss and Springer offer a thoughtful critique of repatriation-both the ideology and the laws that support it. Repatriation and Erasing the Past is a helpful assessment for scholars and students who wish to understand both sides of the debate.

Our bones can reveal fascinating information about how we have lived, from the food we have eaten to our levels of activity and the infections and injuries we have suffered. Elizabeth Weiss introduces readers to how lifestyle-in complex interaction with biology, genes, and environment-affects health in this distinctive tour of human osteology, past and present. Centering on health issues that have arisen in the last fifty to sixty years rather than thousands of years ago, Paleopathology in Perspective is organized around particular bone traits such as growth patterns, back pains, infections, and oral health. Each chapter explains one category of traits and reviews data drawn from both ancient and more contemporary populations to explore how global trait trends have changed over time. Weiss also considers the likely causes of these changes-for example, the growth of obesity, increased longevity, and greater intensity of childhood sports. Taking a long view of bones, as Weiss clearly demonstrates, provides clues not just about how ancient humans once lived, but also how biology and behavior, lifestyle and health, remain intrinsically linked.

Bioarchaeology is one of the lesser-known fields of physical anthropology and yet it is one of the most researched topics in physical anthropology. Bioarchaeology, an ever-growing dynamic research field, is the study of human skeletal remains from archaeological sites to aid in reconstructing the biology and culture of past populations. Bioarchaeology has gained in popularity around the world and we have a renaissance of anthropological studies coming from both Western and Eastern Europe. North and South American anthropologists continue to make significant contributions to the field of bioarchaeology as well. The emphasis is on helping students understand the most current research coming from both the New and Old World published in the top peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, this book provides a brief history of bioarchaeology, a review of bone biology, and helpful introduction and summary sections at the beginning and end of each chapter. To assist students in studying and to provide discussion points, a list of key terms and chapter questions are provided at the end of each chapter. Finally, there are over 40 illustrations, photos, and graphs to help students grasp key concepts throughout the book.