Burial Research Group - Human Taphonomic Studies

Themes

• Health, Wellbeing and Education
• Engineering, Technology and Environment
• Crime, Justice and Security

Summary

The Burial Research Group undertakes a multitude of research activities relating to the investigation of buried human remains and the grave environment.

We are a diverse group of enthusiastic researchers from forensics, biological anthropology, archaeology, chemistry, and environmental science, who believe interdisciplinary research can solve complex problems within our disciplines and improve best practice.

The central aims of the Burial Research Group are to:

• Develop and refine new techniques in the location, analysis, and interpretation of human remains and taphonomic processes in a range of terrestrial and aquatic environments
• Conduct interdisciplinary research to answer questions that are pertinent in forensics biological anthropology, archaeology, and chemistry
• Identify and champion best practice within our relevant disciplines.

Publications

• 1. Squires, K., Davidson, A., Cooper, S., Viner, M., Hoban, W., Loynes, R., Zesch, S., Rosendahl, W. Lindauer, S., Greco, C. and Piombino-Mascali, D. 2024. A Multidisciplinary Investigation of a Mummified Egyptian Head and Analysis of its Associated Resinous Material from the Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum in Palermo (Sicily). Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 55: 104525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104525.
• 1. Balta, J., Blom, G., Davidson, A., Perrault, K., Cryan, J., O'Mahony, S. and Cassella, J. (2020) Developing a quantitative method to assess the decomposition of embalmed human cadavers, Forensic Chemistry 18: 100235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forc.2020.100235
• 1. Donnelly, L.J., Cassella, J., Pirrie, D., Dawson, L., Blom, G., Davidson, A., Arnold, P., Harrison, M. and Hope, C. (2018) Analysis of Soil Following a Police Led Open Area Search and the Recovery of a Cold Case Homicide Grave. Geological Society Special Publication 492. ISSN 0305-8719

Contact

If you are a researcher and would like to join the Burial Research Group or would like more information about our work, please contact Professor Kirsty Squires or Dr Alison Davidson.