摘要：考古遗址出土的人类和动物遗骸为我们研究有关人类过去的生物历史提供了独一无二的材料。从骨骼自身的形态变化，到骨骼或牙齿里保存下的生物分子，这些线索都有助于我们回答有关个体或群体健康的问题。过去十年间科技考古手段的突飞猛进使得我们有能力解决这些疑问，这种尝试在我刚入行考古的时候是无法想象的。我将通过介绍我研究的几个案例，揭示考古研究如何有助于我们理解甚至是缓解当今社会人类和动物的健康问题。
Abstract: The recovery of human and animal remains from archaeological sites provides a unique dataset which we can use to explore a range of questions relating to the biology of our past. From changes to the skeleton itself to the ancient biomolecules preserved within bones and teeth, we can find many clues to answer questions about the health of both ancient individuals and populations. New techniques in archaeological science developed in the last decade or so, are now allowing us to explore such questions in ways we thought impossible when I began my academic career. Using several very different case studies from my own ongoing research group, I will show how the archaeological study of such diverse things as the evidence for bad backs and infectious diseases could have an important and direct bearing on our understanding (and even mitigation) of present-day human and animal health.
