Right have been a little late setting this up so here goes,
My names Dan and i’m working on a UROS project alongside Sophie Webber, under the superfision of Gillian and Clare. The project is looking at whether or not wearing gloves when handling skeletal material matters. Obviously in forensic cases gloves should always be worn, but with archaeological remains there is great debate about the need to wear gloves. Hopefully by the end of the project we will be able to see whether or not there a scientifically significant transfer of microbiota from handlers to the bones if not wearing gloves. If there is a significant difference in the quantities of microbiota on skeletal material when not where wearing gloves (In comparison to wearing gloves), the next step is to see whether or not the microbiota transeferred from hands actually degrade the bones themselves.
Thats the basics behind our project. now to bring you up to speed with whats happened in the first 2 weeks.
In the first week, i met with Gillian, Clare and Sophie to discuss the project and what we would be doing. Gillian set us off familiarising ourselves with the bones of the body- learning their names, their anatomical positions, and how to sex, age and obtain stature estimations from the bones concerning the individual- this was a great start point and also really boosts my chances of passing the anthropology exam in October/November.
Following this we were then asked to identify which bones in the universities skeletal collection required cleaning, and then to clean those bones. Cleaning bones is a slow process, but oddly hypnotizing so time flies by.
So thats the important stuff thats happened over the past 2 weeks, which doesn’t sound much but the time spent just examining the bones and learning from Gillian has greatly increased my knowledge. Next week Sophie and i will be joining you in the microlab and the project can really get underway.
The two of us have been working closely with another of Gillian’s UROS students, Jacob Abbott, who has been tasked with cleaning and analysing a skull found in Fiskerton LIncolnshire, that is believed to be Iron age!!!!!! How cool is that!!!!!!!! Unfortunately he first has to work out how to remove a huge lump of clay from inside the skull without damaging it, i wish him luck with that.
So i think i have said everything that needs to be said, i’m really enjoying my project thus far, and it staves off the dull boringness of being alone in Lincoln for the summer hols. See you all next week hopefully
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