Human osteoarchaeology in Greece: research themes, challenges and potential

Abstract

The development of human osteoarchaeology in Greece has been the subject of a number of papers (for example Agelarakis 1995; Roberts et al. 2005; Buikstra and Lagia 2009; Lagia et al. 2014). The volume New Directions in the Skeletal Biology of Greece (Schepartz et al. 2009) constituted a milestone in the field by bringing together the work of multiple scholars, employing a diverse thematic focus and stressing the value of the potential of human osteoarchaeology in exploring the past. Recent years have witnessed significant developments in the field across Greece with respect to the research themes explored and the methodological approaches adopted, as well as important institutional changes. These developments are reflected in this review, which focuses on the progress of human osteoarchaeological studies in Greece in the 21st century, the research questions they address, the challenges they face and their envisaged future.