Human Osteology / Edition 3

by Tim D. White, Michael T. Black, Pieter A. Folkens

Overview

A classic in its field, Human Osteology has been used by students and professionals through nearly two decades. Now revised and updated for a third edition, the book continues to build on its foundation of detailed photographs and practical real-world application of science. New information, expanded coverage of existing chapters, and additional supportive photographs keep this book current and valuable for both classroom and field work.

Osteologists, archaeologists, anatomists, forensic scientists and paleontologists will all find practical information on accurately identifying, recovering, and analyzing and reporting on human skeletal remains and on making correct deductions from those remains.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780123741349
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	03/02/2011
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	688
Sales rank:	327,322
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 10.90(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

White, Tim D. (UC Berkeley)

Table of Contents

Introduction.Bone Biology.Anatomical Terminology.Skull.Dentition.Hyoid and Vertebrae.Thorax: Sternum and Ribs.Shoulder Girdle: Clavicle and Scapula.Arm: Humerus, Radius and Ulna.Hand: Carpals, Metacarpals, and Phalanges.Pelvic Girdle: Sacrum, Coccyx, and Os Coxae.Leg: Femur, Patella, Tibia, and Fibula.Foot: Tarsals, Metatarsals, and Phalanges.Recovery, Preparation, and Curation of Skeletal Remains.Analysis and Reporting of Skeletal Remains.Ethics in Osteology.Assessment of Age, Sex, Stature, Ancestry, and Identity.Osteological and Dental Pathology.Postmortem Skeletal Modification.The Biology of Skeletal Populations: Discrete Traits, Distance, Diet, Disease, and Demography.Molecular Osteology.Forensic Case Study: Homicide: "We Have the Witnesses but No Body."Forensic Case Study: Child Abuse, The Skeletal Perspective.Archaeological Case Study: The Bioarcheology of the Stillwater Marsh, Nevada.Archeological Case Study: Anasazi Remains from Cottonwood Canyon.Paleontological Case Study: The Pit of the Bones.Paleontological Case Study: Australopitheus Mandible from Maka, Ethiopia.Appendix: Photographic Methods and Provenance.Glossary.Bibliography.Index.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Rated 5 Stars by Doody's Publishing Reviews!

Preface

Preface

With nearly a decade of advances in osteological research-and the positive response to the first edition-it was time to revise Human Osteology. This revision was driven by colleagues and students who found the first volume valuable and called for "more and better." We have strengthened and updated each chapter, added a host of new figures, tables, and features, and incorporated new standards. Among the advances are a new glossary and new sections on morphogenesis, bone modification, and disease and demography. The chapter on assessing age, sex, stature, ancestry, and identity has been greatly strengthened, and an occupation section has been added to the paleopathology chapter. A new chapter on molecular osteology and four new case studies have been added.

Many of our colleagues contributed excellent suggestions for revision. We have tried to incorporate as many as were feasible. In particular, we thank those authors who wrote published reviews, as well as Susan Anton, Donna Boyd, Kristian Carlson, Mark Fleishman, David Frayer, Marie Geise, Haskel Greenfield, Mark Griffin, Rebecca Keith, Murray Marks, Debra Martin, David Mills, Mary Ellen Morbeck, Robert Paine, John Verano, and Richard Wilkinson. We obviously couldn't add all the things that all the users and reviewers requested, but we have done our best to honor all the good advice from these colleagues.

The most important contributor to the completion of the second edition was David DeGusta. His research and writing skills are apparent throughout, and he contributed much of the new chapter on molecular osteology. As with the first edition, Lyman Jellema was tireless in tracking down the bones to illustrate the new growth sections, and we sincerely appreciate his professionalism, kind assistance, and attention to detail (Lyman even sent cat toys to prevent the felid Lubaka from chewing on specimens). Susan Chin helped to construct the glossary and the guide to electronic resources in osteology. Clark Larsen, Phil Walker, and Juan Luis Arsuaga contributed background and photographs of their work featured in the new case studies, and Robert Paine contributed new photographs in Chapter 2. Gene Hammel helped with demographic questions, Henry Gilbert helped with figures, and Jose Miguel Carretero provided critical observations on the hand skeleton. Alan Shabel was a skilled and tireless proofreader. Thanks again go to the students in Berkeley's "Osteo U" for all their critical observations and helpful suggestions that made this a better book.

Editorial Reviews

5 Stars! from Doody

This is a large, attractively printed textbook and photographic atlas of the human skeleton. The author presents this subject in broad context, emphasizing biological, archeological, forensic, and technical considerations. He has long been a major contributor to this field. "The author designed this book to facilitate the study of human bones and the identification and interpretation of osteological remains, whether intact or fragmentary, ancient or recent. He also provides guidance on field collecting methods as well as the proper labeling and handling of laboratory and museum specimens. "This is a superb textbook for any substantial course in human osteology, and would be valuable to anyone concerned with teaching or applying such information, including anatomists, physical anthropologists, and forensic pathologists. "The largest component of the book is a series of actual-size photographs of all bones in several views, and enlarged photographs of all teeth, with a description of their main features and identification clues. For coherence, the individual skull elements are all from one 16-year-old child, and the postcranial bones are all from one man. Other chapters include coverage of bone as a living tissue, skeletal variation (age, sex, race, pathology, etc.), and also curatorial, bioarcheological, paleoanthropological, forensic, and technical matters. The sadly misguided Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act is discussed, along with other ethical issues. There is a listing of 51 relevant web sites, and an extensive bibliography which includes publications as recent as 1999. "For its purposes, this is the best publication to date. While more osteologicaldetail is given in some large textbooks and atlases of anatomy, their figures vary greatly in scale. The photographs by Arend Folkers are esthetically composed and informative, showing the bones against a black background. Sometimes shadows obscure details that could have been made visible by adjusting the illumination or by using Photoshop, but discoloration and obscuring reflections have been innovatively suppressed. The only serious factual error I detected is the statement that cranial fontanelles are cartilaginous membranes. I recommend this book highly.

Edgar F. Allin

White (integrative biology and human evolutionary studies, U. of California-Berkeley) presents a textbook for students who have taken the standard anatomy course, and thereby memorized the names and position of human bones, but want to learn how to identify isolated and fragmentary skeletal remains and use them to learn something about the people represented only by bones and teeth. Anatomists, forensic scientists, osteologists, paleontologists, and archaeologists are among the candidates. He has revised the 1991 edition by updating the text; adding new figures, tables, and features; incorporating new standards; and providing a glossary without pronunciation. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

"This is a superb textbook for any substantial course in human osteology, and would be valuable to anyone concerned with teaching or applying such information, including anatomists, physical anthropologists, and forensic pathologists...For its purposes, this is the best publication to date." —RATED 5 STARS! DOODY'S PUBLISHING REVIEWS Praise for the First Edition "This is an excellent text on osteology. It has hundreds of artistic photos combined with clear and concise text. There are detailed sections on tooth anatomy, skeletal recovery, forensic analysis, ethics, and preservation. A truly beautiful text and art book." —AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF FORENSIC DENTISTS "This text is an excellent consideration of human bone and the many kinds of information which can be gleaned from its analysis." —NORTH AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGIST "The majority of the photographs are stunning life-size plates of bones. Crests and grooves, striae and foramina are easily identified on every bone." —INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY "In sum, this beautifully illustrated volume provides much information which will allow readers a chance to explore the many facets of the modern discipline of human osteology." —AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

From the Publisher

Reviewer: Edgar F. Allin, MD (Midwestern University)
Description: This is a large, attractively printed textbook and photographic atlas of the human skeleton. The author presents this subject in broad context, emphasizing biological, archeological, forensic, and technical considerations. He has long been a major contributor to this field.
Purpose: The author designed this book to facilitate the study of human bones and the identification and interpretation of osteological remains, whether intact or fragmentary, ancient or recent. He also provides guidance on field collecting methods as well as the proper labeling and handling of laboratory and museum specimens.
Audience: This is a superb textbook for any substantial course in human osteology, and would be valuable to anyone concerned with teaching or applying such information, including anatomists, physical anthropologists, and forensic pathologists.
Features: The largest component of the book is a series of actual-size photographs of all bones in several views, and enlarged photographs of all teeth, with a description of their main features and identification clues. For coherence, the individual skull elements are all from one 16-year-old child, and the postcranial bones are all from one man. Other chapters include coverage of bone as a living tissue, skeletal variation (age, sex, race, pathology, etc.), and also curatorial, bioarcheological, paleoanthropological, forensic, and technical matters. The sadly misguided Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act is discussed, along with other ethical issues. There is a listing of 51 relevant web sites, and an extensive bibliography which includes publications as recent as 1999.
Assessment: For its purposes, this is the best publication to date. While more osteological detail is given in some large textbooks and atlases of anatomy, their figures vary greatly in scale. The photographs by Arend Folkers are esthetically composed and informative, showing the bones against a black background. Sometimes shadows obscure details that could have been made visible by adjusting the illumination or by using Photoshop, but discoloration and obscuring reflections have been innovatively suppressed. The only serious factual error I detected is the statement that cranial fontanelles "are cartilaginous membranes." I recommend this book highly.

Doody's Review Service