Sick and Tired: Archaeological histories of health

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Illness and disease have been part of the human experience for as long as we have existed. The nature of these challenges, and how we have responded to them, has evolved over time. In this course, we will dig into evidence from the archaeological record and bioarchaeological data from skeletal remains to trace the history of human health. From prehistoric pandemics to ancient healing practices, we’ll uncover the sick and tired side of archaeology that reveals how illness and the pursuit of health have shaped—and been shaped by—human history. You’ll learn how archaeologists and bioarchaeologists reconstruct stories of past health, exploring how humans have cared for one another since our evolutionary origins and how our understanding of “health” has shifted across time.