Written in Bones: How Human Remains Unlock the Secrets of the Dead

Written in Bones brings together a team of international experts to show how the careful study of bones reveals a compelling picture of the lives, cultures, and beliefs of ancient societies from around the world.

This compelling and scientifically-accessible book:

• Provides 38 case studies examining the discoveries at archeological sites
• Introduces readers to ancient peoples
• Includes more than 350 color photographs

Human remains tell us much about how our ancestors lived and died. In Written in Bones, significant discoveries are carefully brought together and analyzed. Readers learn how experts use modern scientific techniques to piece together the stories behind the bones. The data is used to create a picture of cultures and ritual beliefs. There are such astonishing discoveries as:

• Han Dynasty aristocrat preserved in an unknown red liquid
• Bog bodies in Europe
• The riddle of Tomb KV55 - where a male body was found inside a female coffin
• World's oldest dwarf
• The headless men and giant wolves of the Mesolithic cemetery in Siberia

Paul Bahn, Ph.D. studied archeology at Cambridge University. For this book he worked with a team of 16 contributors from universities around the world. His numerous books, written alone or with a co-author, include Ancient Places, Images of the Ice Age, Journey through the Ice Age and The Cambridge Illustrated History of Archaeology, Tombs, Games and Mummies.