Osteology summary 2007
last upadted 14 April 2008
In May, MoLAS appointed a Head of Osteology to oversee both human and animal bone work and, in the autumn, we were pleased that Michael Henderson joined us from the University of Leicester Archaeology Service (ULAS). For details of our large publication projects this year, see the links below.
Priory of St. Mary Spital (Spitalfields Ramp Project, SRP98)
Catholic Mission of St Mary and St Michael (Bishop Challoner School), Lukin Street, Whitechapel (LUK04)
Bunhill Burial ground (Prior Weston School), Islington (GDA05)
In addition to our commercial services, MoLAS osteologists:
- Collaborated with Dr. Mary Lewis of Reading University on an application for an AHRC grant to investigate ‘Adolescence, Migration and Health in Medieval London’
- Collaborated with the University of Bradford examining the potential of stable isotopes from post-medieval hair samples
- Undertook a CoLAT funded pilot project into the expression of venereal syphilis in post-medieval London
- Assisted Dr. Annia Cherryson with her research into post-medieval burial practices
You can read the results of our specialist work in:
Cowie R, Bekvalac J and Kausmally T. 2008. Life and Death in Chelsea: excavations at 2-4 Old Church Street
Miles A, Powers N, Wroe-Brown R with Walker D. in prep. St Marylebone Church and Burial Ground: Excavations at St Marylebone Church of England School, 2005
Miller P, and Saxby D. 2007. The Augustinian priory of St Mary Merton, Surrey: Excavations 1976-90. MoLAS Monograph 34.
Staff external publications 2006-07 (PDF 43kb)
2007 projects
2007 also saw work on the following projects:
Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London (RLP05)
Work is ongoing on the assessment of this incredible assemblage of human remains excavated in 2006. So far, 101 burials have been examined, 40 of whom underwent post-mortems or were used to teach anatomy. Fifty-three graves or coffins containing multiple body parts have been studied and parts of up to 11 people have been found within each grave. Thanks to excellent work by the team on site it is possible to separate the jumble of dissected body parts: in some cases the parts of several people were used to ‘reconstruct’ a single body. We see consistency in the way elements have been dissected, but evidence of varying levels of skill. Even the youngest individuals have been dissected and there are wax casts of blood vessels and limbs which have been reconstructed with copper wire and iron staples. Dissected dogs, rabbits and other animals have also been found including a genuine medical guinea pig!
52, 54-58 Commercial Road, Tower Hamlets, London (CXL06)
This area had been used as a private burial ground after it was acquired by local undertaker Samuel Sheen in the 1830s and remained until 1856. Though payment was required for internment in this private cemetery, those within Sheen’s burial ground were relatively poor non-conformists. Assessment is complete and analysis of this sample of 265 individuals will allow comparison with populations of other faiths and social status within London in this period.
Bow Baptist Church burial ground, Payne Road Bow (PAY05)
In the summer of 2006, archaeological investigations recovered 348 burials whioch have now been assessed. The majority of the sample dates from the 18th and early 19th centuries. Forty-four individuals could be at partially identified from the remains of coffin plates. By combining documentary information with the results of a survey completed as part of the excavation process, a further 103 individuals were identified. This is the largest group of named individuals from a ‘flat’ cemetery (as opposed to a crypt) to be archaeologically excavated in this country and the largest Baptist assemblage. The Baptist movement was popular amongst the working classes in London and members were involved in radical politics. Fieldwork will continue in 2008.
Smaller projects
Smaller projects this year include:
Andover Airfield, Hampshire (HA-RPY05): Three areas of chalk down land corresponding to features identified by aerial photography as Bronze Age ring ditches or round barrows were excavated. Six adult burials, were uncovered, together with 40 contexts of burnt bone from Bronze Age to Iron Age contexts. Several cremation burials had been capped with burnt stones and two were contained within urns.
Holywell Priory, Shoreditch: medieval burials associated with the religious house and a small number of unusual Roman burials were found.
St Mary’s Church, Harrow on the Hill: (link to external site) a Saxon adult female, confirmed by radiocarbon dating to be the first evidence of the earliest church on the site.
Oxford Radcliffe Hospital: two well preserved burials which were examined on site and remain in situ.
A Roman burial was found on one of the sites investigated for the Olympics and four medieval burials from the New Entertainment Venue, Shrewsbury, a previously unknown cemetery site. Disarticulated remains of a medieval date were discovered at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and Mondial House, Upper Thames Street and post-medieval remains found at Liverpool Street Station (site of the New churchyard’, founded in 1569 by the City to relieve the congestion occurring in parish burial grounds), the Bow Porcelain Factory (Stratford), St Alphage House, Bow Bells House and Fen Court in the City. Disturbed Roman burials were uncovered at New Street and St Swithen’s House, Walbrook.
Grey literature
A list of projects and 'grey literature' by MoLAS osteologists past and present can be found by clicking on the link below.
MoLAS human osteology data January 2008