Myra J Giesen | Newcastle University (original) (raw)

Books by Myra J Giesen

Global Perspectives for the Conservation and Management of Open-Air Rock Art Sites, 2022

This book offers a systematic overview of the responses made by museums and other repositories in... more This book offers a systematic overview of the responses made by museums and other repositories in the UK to the ownership, care, storage, display and interpretation of human remains. It provides a baseline for understanding the scope and nature of human remains collections and the practices related to their care. International context is provided in an introductory section that explores how human remains are acquired and curated in other countries. A wide range of issues are discussed, making extensive use of case studies to explore the complex problems involved in caring for human remains; each chapter has been written by a leading expert. Topics addressed include: legislation and ethical obligations; issues of long-term and short-term care; perspectives on collections care from different parts of the UK; a comparison of attitudes and approaches adopted by large institutions and small museums; the creative use of redundant churches; and challenges facing research/teaching laboratories and museums when human remains are acquired during archaeological excavations. This book provides practical guidance and theoretical insights and is essential reading for practitioners, academics and undergraduate and postgraduate students in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, ethnography and museology.

Book Chapters by Myra J Giesen

Networking for Rock Art: Global Challenges, Local Solutions, 2022

Open-Air Rock-Art Conservation and Management: State of the Art and Future Perspectives, Jul 1, 2014

Global Ancestors: Understanding the Shared Humanity of our Ancestors, Oct 2013

Curating Human Remains: Caring for the Dead in the United Kingdom, Mar 21, 2013

This chapter will begin with an overview of practice developed by the UK museums’ sector. It then... more This chapter will begin with an overview of practice developed by the UK museums’ sector. It then will touch upon the archaeological sector’s approach to curation of human remains and move on to other interested parties who have developed statements about the care of human remains in the UK. It will then return to the Guidance and the Guidelines documents that cross discipline boundaries and set the stage for current practice.

Curating Human Remains: caring for the Dead in the United Kingdom, Mar 21, 2013

This chapter broadly considers how human remains find their way into collections, especially with... more This chapter broadly considers how human remains find their way into collections, especially within a social and historic context. The chapter will then look at how different organisations and countries manage such collections, including variables that influence care of the remains, and finally discusses international instruments that address their care.

Curating Human Remains: Caring for the Dead in the United Kingdom, Mar 21, 2013

The study of human remains can provide major insights into health, trauma, migration patterns, de... more The study of human remains can provide major insights into health, trauma, migration patterns, demography and many other important lifeways questions. However, answering them often depend upon a combination of excavation records, collection histories and associated funerary objects as well as analysis of human remains themselves. The availability of such evidence is largely dependent upon accurate and accessible collection records and up-to-date curation documents. In this chapter, we will consider associated documents, in general, and then those specifically related to human remains collections in repositories located in England; what influences documentation prioritisation; and how and what information about human remains collections are made publicly available. Two projects are presented to highlight the difficulties in bringing together even basic details needed for human remains research (eg minimum number of individuals, provenance and time period). With this background, we suggest that those responsible for curating human remains (as well as those who research them) can do more to make human remains collections more accessible through the documentation process.

Chapter in Heritage 2010: Heritage and Sustainable Development, Chapter: The resilience and care of ancient stone monuments in changing environments, Editors: R Ameda, S Lira, C Pinheiro, 2010

Chapter in Beyond the Site: Regional Studies in the Aegean Area, Nick Kardulias (ed) , Jan 1, 1994

Chapter in St. Helena Archaeology: New Data, New Interpretations; J&L reprints: Lincoln, NE, USA, 1988

Published Articles by Myra J Giesen

Atmosphere, 2024

The world is becoming increasingly urbanized, with migration rates often exceeding the infra-stru... more The world is becoming increasingly urbanized, with migration rates often exceeding the infra-structural capacity in cities across the developing world. As such, many migrants must reside in informal settlements that lack civil and health protection infrastructure, including air quality monitoring. Here, geospatial inverse distance weighting and archived Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) air quality data for neighboring stations from 2018 to 2021 were used to estimate air conditions in five informal settlements in Delhi, India, spanning the 2020 pandemic lockdown. The results showed that WHO limits for PM2.5 and NO2 were exceeded regularly, although air quality improved during the pandemic. Air quality was always better during the monsoon season (44.3 ± 3.47 and 26.9 ± 2.35 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and NO2, respectively) and poorest in the post-monsoon season (180 ± 15.5 and 55.2 ± 3.59 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and NO2). Differences in air quality among settlements were explained by the proximity to major roads and places of open burning, with NO2 levels often being greater near roads and PM2.5 levels being elevated near places with open burning. Field monitoring was performed in 2023 at three settlements and local CPCB stations. Air quality at settlements and their closest station were not significantly different (p < 0.01). However, field data showed that on-site factors within settlements, such as cooking, ad hoc burning, or micro-scale industry, impact air quality on local scales, suggesting health risks are greater in informal settlements because of greater unregulated activity. City-scale models can estimate mean air quality concentrations at unmonitored locations, but caution is needed because such models can miss local exposures that may have the greatest impact on local health.

Water, 2019

Globally increasing antibiotic resistance (AR) will only be reversed through a suite of multidisc... more Globally increasing antibiotic resistance (AR) will only be reversed through a suite of multidisciplinary actions (One Health), including more prudent antibiotic use and improved sanitation on international scales. Relative to sanitation, advanced technologies exist that reduce AR in waste releases, but such technologies are expensive, and a strategic approach is needed to prioritize more affordable mitigation options, especially for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Such an approach is proposed here, which overlays the incremental cost of different sanitation options and their relative benefit in reducing AR, ultimately suggesting the “next-most-economic” options for different locations. When considering AR gene fate versus intervention costs, reducing open defecation (OD) and increasing decentralized secondary wastewater treatment, with condominial sewers, will probably have the greatest impact on reducing AR, for the least expense. However, the best option for a given country depends on the existing sewerage infrastructure. Using Southeast Asia as a case study and World Bank/WHO/UNICEF data, the approach suggests that Cambodia and East Timor should target reducing OD as a national priority. In contrast, increasing decentralized secondary treatment is well suited to Thailand, Vietnam and rural Malaysia. Our approach provides a science-informed starting point for decision-makers, for prioritising AR mitigation interventions; an approach that will evolve and refine as more data become available.

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 2018

Crowdsourcing heritage information has enormous potential to help gather data needed to make deci... more Crowdsourcing heritage information has enormous potential to help gather data needed to make decisions over the deployment of resources and heritage conservation funding. Taking advantage of the rapid proliferation of mobile devices, such as phones and tablets, packed with sensors to record data about the real world, and the global growth of mobile app stores, reaching potential crowdsourcing volunteers is easier than ever before. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of a mobile application known as Rock Art CARE (condition assessment risk evaluation) to crowdsource heritage conservation data, in the context of rock art conservation.

Thousands of Neolithic and Bronze Age open-air rock art panels exist across the countryside in no... more Thousands of Neolithic and Bronze Age open-air rock art panels exist across the countryside in northern England. However, desecration, pollution, and other factors are threatening the survival of these iconic stone monuments. Evidence suggest that rates of panel deterioration may be increasing, although it is not clear whether this is due to local factors or wider environmental influences accelerated by environmental change. To examine this question, 18 rock art panels with varied art motifs were studied at two major panel locations at Lordenshaw and Weetwood Moor in Northumberland. A condition assessment tool was used to first quantify the level of deterioration of each panel (called “staging”). Stage estimates then were compared statistically with 27 geochemical and physical descriptors of local environments, such as soil moisture, salinity, pH, lichen coverage, soil anions and cation levels, and panel orientation, slope, and standing height. In parallel, climate modelling was performed using UKCP09 to assess how projected climatic conditions (to 2099) might affect the environmental descriptors most correlated with elevated stone deterioration. Only two descriptors significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with increased stage: the standing height of the panel and the exchangeable cation content of the local soils, although moisture conditions also were potentially influential at some panels. Climate modelling predicts warming temperatures, more seasonally variable precipitation, and increased wind speeds, which hint stone deterioration could accelerate in the future due to increased physiochemical weathering. We recommend key panels be targeted for immediate management intervention, focusing on reducing wind exposures, improving site drainage, and potentially immobilizing soil salts.

Ancient stone monuments (ASMs), such as standing stones and rock art panels, are powerful and ico... more Ancient stone monuments (ASMs), such as standing stones and rock art panels, are powerful and iconic expressions of Britain's rich prehistoric past that have major economic and tourism value. However, ASMs are under pressure due to increasing anthropogenic exposure and changing climatic conditions, which accelerate their rates of disrepair. Although scientific data exists on the integrity of stone monuments, most applies to "built" systems; therefore, additional work specific to ASMs in the countryside is needed to develop better-informed safeguarding strategies. Here, we use Neolithic and Bronze Age rock art panels across Northern England as a case study for delineating ASM management actions required to enhance monument preservation. The state of the rock art is described first, including factors that led to current conditions. Rock art management approaches then are described within the context of future environments, which models suggest to be more dynamic and locally variable. Finally, a Condition Assessment and Risk Evaluation (CARE) scheme is proposed to help prioritise interventions; an example of which is provided based on stone deterioration at Petra in Jordon. We conclude that more focused scientific and behavioural data, specific to deterioration mechanisms, are required for an ASM CARE scheme to be successful.

Dam Good Archeology: The Bureau of Reclamation's Cultural Resources Program , 2000

Management of Federal Archaeological Collections, Jan 1, 1999

Global Perspectives for the Conservation and Management of Open-Air Rock Art Sites, 2022

This book offers a systematic overview of the responses made by museums and other repositories in... more This book offers a systematic overview of the responses made by museums and other repositories in the UK to the ownership, care, storage, display and interpretation of human remains. It provides a baseline for understanding the scope and nature of human remains collections and the practices related to their care. International context is provided in an introductory section that explores how human remains are acquired and curated in other countries. A wide range of issues are discussed, making extensive use of case studies to explore the complex problems involved in caring for human remains; each chapter has been written by a leading expert. Topics addressed include: legislation and ethical obligations; issues of long-term and short-term care; perspectives on collections care from different parts of the UK; a comparison of attitudes and approaches adopted by large institutions and small museums; the creative use of redundant churches; and challenges facing research/teaching laboratories and museums when human remains are acquired during archaeological excavations. This book provides practical guidance and theoretical insights and is essential reading for practitioners, academics and undergraduate and postgraduate students in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, ethnography and museology.

Networking for Rock Art: Global Challenges, Local Solutions, 2022

Open-Air Rock-Art Conservation and Management: State of the Art and Future Perspectives, Jul 1, 2014

Global Ancestors: Understanding the Shared Humanity of our Ancestors, Oct 2013

Curating Human Remains: Caring for the Dead in the United Kingdom, Mar 21, 2013

This chapter will begin with an overview of practice developed by the UK museums’ sector. It then... more This chapter will begin with an overview of practice developed by the UK museums’ sector. It then will touch upon the archaeological sector’s approach to curation of human remains and move on to other interested parties who have developed statements about the care of human remains in the UK. It will then return to the Guidance and the Guidelines documents that cross discipline boundaries and set the stage for current practice.

Curating Human Remains: caring for the Dead in the United Kingdom, Mar 21, 2013

This chapter broadly considers how human remains find their way into collections, especially with... more This chapter broadly considers how human remains find their way into collections, especially within a social and historic context. The chapter will then look at how different organisations and countries manage such collections, including variables that influence care of the remains, and finally discusses international instruments that address their care.

Curating Human Remains: Caring for the Dead in the United Kingdom, Mar 21, 2013

The study of human remains can provide major insights into health, trauma, migration patterns, de... more The study of human remains can provide major insights into health, trauma, migration patterns, demography and many other important lifeways questions. However, answering them often depend upon a combination of excavation records, collection histories and associated funerary objects as well as analysis of human remains themselves. The availability of such evidence is largely dependent upon accurate and accessible collection records and up-to-date curation documents. In this chapter, we will consider associated documents, in general, and then those specifically related to human remains collections in repositories located in England; what influences documentation prioritisation; and how and what information about human remains collections are made publicly available. Two projects are presented to highlight the difficulties in bringing together even basic details needed for human remains research (eg minimum number of individuals, provenance and time period). With this background, we suggest that those responsible for curating human remains (as well as those who research them) can do more to make human remains collections more accessible through the documentation process.

Chapter in Heritage 2010: Heritage and Sustainable Development, Chapter: The resilience and care of ancient stone monuments in changing environments, Editors: R Ameda, S Lira, C Pinheiro, 2010

Chapter in Beyond the Site: Regional Studies in the Aegean Area, Nick Kardulias (ed) , Jan 1, 1994

Chapter in St. Helena Archaeology: New Data, New Interpretations; J&L reprints: Lincoln, NE, USA, 1988

Atmosphere, 2024

The world is becoming increasingly urbanized, with migration rates often exceeding the infra-stru... more The world is becoming increasingly urbanized, with migration rates often exceeding the infra-structural capacity in cities across the developing world. As such, many migrants must reside in informal settlements that lack civil and health protection infrastructure, including air quality monitoring. Here, geospatial inverse distance weighting and archived Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) air quality data for neighboring stations from 2018 to 2021 were used to estimate air conditions in five informal settlements in Delhi, India, spanning the 2020 pandemic lockdown. The results showed that WHO limits for PM2.5 and NO2 were exceeded regularly, although air quality improved during the pandemic. Air quality was always better during the monsoon season (44.3 ± 3.47 and 26.9 ± 2.35 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and NO2, respectively) and poorest in the post-monsoon season (180 ± 15.5 and 55.2 ± 3.59 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and NO2). Differences in air quality among settlements were explained by the proximity to major roads and places of open burning, with NO2 levels often being greater near roads and PM2.5 levels being elevated near places with open burning. Field monitoring was performed in 2023 at three settlements and local CPCB stations. Air quality at settlements and their closest station were not significantly different (p < 0.01). However, field data showed that on-site factors within settlements, such as cooking, ad hoc burning, or micro-scale industry, impact air quality on local scales, suggesting health risks are greater in informal settlements because of greater unregulated activity. City-scale models can estimate mean air quality concentrations at unmonitored locations, but caution is needed because such models can miss local exposures that may have the greatest impact on local health.

Water, 2019

Globally increasing antibiotic resistance (AR) will only be reversed through a suite of multidisc... more Globally increasing antibiotic resistance (AR) will only be reversed through a suite of multidisciplinary actions (One Health), including more prudent antibiotic use and improved sanitation on international scales. Relative to sanitation, advanced technologies exist that reduce AR in waste releases, but such technologies are expensive, and a strategic approach is needed to prioritize more affordable mitigation options, especially for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Such an approach is proposed here, which overlays the incremental cost of different sanitation options and their relative benefit in reducing AR, ultimately suggesting the “next-most-economic” options for different locations. When considering AR gene fate versus intervention costs, reducing open defecation (OD) and increasing decentralized secondary wastewater treatment, with condominial sewers, will probably have the greatest impact on reducing AR, for the least expense. However, the best option for a given country depends on the existing sewerage infrastructure. Using Southeast Asia as a case study and World Bank/WHO/UNICEF data, the approach suggests that Cambodia and East Timor should target reducing OD as a national priority. In contrast, increasing decentralized secondary treatment is well suited to Thailand, Vietnam and rural Malaysia. Our approach provides a science-informed starting point for decision-makers, for prioritising AR mitigation interventions; an approach that will evolve and refine as more data become available.

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 2018

Crowdsourcing heritage information has enormous potential to help gather data needed to make deci... more Crowdsourcing heritage information has enormous potential to help gather data needed to make decisions over the deployment of resources and heritage conservation funding. Taking advantage of the rapid proliferation of mobile devices, such as phones and tablets, packed with sensors to record data about the real world, and the global growth of mobile app stores, reaching potential crowdsourcing volunteers is easier than ever before. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of a mobile application known as Rock Art CARE (condition assessment risk evaluation) to crowdsource heritage conservation data, in the context of rock art conservation.

Thousands of Neolithic and Bronze Age open-air rock art panels exist across the countryside in no... more Thousands of Neolithic and Bronze Age open-air rock art panels exist across the countryside in northern England. However, desecration, pollution, and other factors are threatening the survival of these iconic stone monuments. Evidence suggest that rates of panel deterioration may be increasing, although it is not clear whether this is due to local factors or wider environmental influences accelerated by environmental change. To examine this question, 18 rock art panels with varied art motifs were studied at two major panel locations at Lordenshaw and Weetwood Moor in Northumberland. A condition assessment tool was used to first quantify the level of deterioration of each panel (called “staging”). Stage estimates then were compared statistically with 27 geochemical and physical descriptors of local environments, such as soil moisture, salinity, pH, lichen coverage, soil anions and cation levels, and panel orientation, slope, and standing height. In parallel, climate modelling was performed using UKCP09 to assess how projected climatic conditions (to 2099) might affect the environmental descriptors most correlated with elevated stone deterioration. Only two descriptors significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with increased stage: the standing height of the panel and the exchangeable cation content of the local soils, although moisture conditions also were potentially influential at some panels. Climate modelling predicts warming temperatures, more seasonally variable precipitation, and increased wind speeds, which hint stone deterioration could accelerate in the future due to increased physiochemical weathering. We recommend key panels be targeted for immediate management intervention, focusing on reducing wind exposures, improving site drainage, and potentially immobilizing soil salts.

Ancient stone monuments (ASMs), such as standing stones and rock art panels, are powerful and ico... more Ancient stone monuments (ASMs), such as standing stones and rock art panels, are powerful and iconic expressions of Britain's rich prehistoric past that have major economic and tourism value. However, ASMs are under pressure due to increasing anthropogenic exposure and changing climatic conditions, which accelerate their rates of disrepair. Although scientific data exists on the integrity of stone monuments, most applies to "built" systems; therefore, additional work specific to ASMs in the countryside is needed to develop better-informed safeguarding strategies. Here, we use Neolithic and Bronze Age rock art panels across Northern England as a case study for delineating ASM management actions required to enhance monument preservation. The state of the rock art is described first, including factors that led to current conditions. Rock art management approaches then are described within the context of future environments, which models suggest to be more dynamic and locally variable. Finally, a Condition Assessment and Risk Evaluation (CARE) scheme is proposed to help prioritise interventions; an example of which is provided based on stone deterioration at Petra in Jordon. We conclude that more focused scientific and behavioural data, specific to deterioration mechanisms, are required for an ASM CARE scheme to be successful.

Dam Good Archeology: The Bureau of Reclamation's Cultural Resources Program , 2000

Management of Federal Archaeological Collections, Jan 1, 1999

In the present paper we discuss the demographic features of the Sandusky tradition Pearson Comple... more In the present paper we discuss the demographic features of the Sandusky tradition Pearson Complex. The Pearson Complex consists of three habitation areas and two cemeteries. The habitation areas were used by Eiden, Wolf and Fort Meigs populations, while the cemeteries are samples of the Eiden and Ft. Meigs populations. The latter cemetery is small (N=48 individuals) and not suitable for demographic analysis. However, we present the age-at-death distribution for this sample as well as describe the biocultural features of the burials. We present a paleodemographic analysis of the large (N=475 individuals) Eiden Phase skeletal series. Traditional paleodemographic analysis of this skeletal population results in demographic features of the population which are implausible for human populations (at least historically documented populations). A paleodemographic reconstruction based on uniformitarian human demographic patterns suggests that the Eiden Phase cemetery does not represent the living Eiden Phase population. We propose that the settlement pattern of the Eiden Phase population, in which only about half the year was spent at the village associated with the cemetery, may explain much of the deviation from uniformitarian demographic pattern. We hypothesize that the Eiden Phase cemetery does not represent the living population primarily because not all individuals from the population were buried at the cemetery. We also discuss methods for testing this hypothesis.

and Author (s) Page, Jan 1, 1999

American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Jan 1, 1993

We present regression equations to estimate skeletal height and stature for prehistoric Native Am... more We present regression equations to estimate skeletal height and stature for prehistoric Native Americans of Ohio. The regression equations are based on skeletal height as the dependent variable and various postcranial elements and combinations of elements as the independent variables. A total of 171 individuals, 95 males and 76 females, make up the sample. The present sample includes the 64 individuals we previously used for stature estimation (Sciulli et al.: Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 83:275-280, 1990) and 107 additional individuals distributed more widely in time and space. The present more inclusive sample, however, shows the same proportional contributions to skeletal height of each skeletal height component as the previous sample. This result suggests that these proportions were a consistent feature of the prehistoric Native Americans of Ohio. Because the prehistoric Native Americans of Ohio were characterized by relatively long legs and distal elements of the limbs, stature estimation from regressions based on East Asian populations, which express in general relatively short legs and distal limb elements, will overestimate stature in Native Americans of Ohio and, possibly, all Eastern Woodlands Native Americans.

We present regression equations to estimate skeletal height and stature for prehistoric Native Am... more We present regression equations to estimate skeletal height and stature for prehistoric Native Americans of Ohio. The regression equations are based on skeletal height as the dependent variable and various postcranial elements and combinations of elements as the independent variables. A total of 171 individuals, 95 males and 76 females, make up the sample. The present sample includes the 64 individuals we previously used for stature estimation (Sciulli et al.: Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 83:275-280, 1990) and 107 additional individuals distributed more widely in time and space. The present more inclusive sample, however, shows the same proportional contributions to skeletal height of each skeletal height component as the previous sample. This result suggests that these proportions were a consistent feature of the prehistoric Native Americans of Ohio. Because the prehistoric Native Americans of Ohio were characterized by relatively long legs and distal elements of the limbs, stature estimation from regressions based on East Asian populations, which express in general relatively short legs and distal limb elements, will overestimate stature in Native Americans of Ohio and, possibly, all Eastern Woodlands Native Americans.

American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Jan 1, 1988

Significant phenotypic selection acting on the buccolingual diameters of the permanent first and ... more Significant phenotypic selection acting on the buccolingual diameters of the permanent first and second molars is established for a Late Archaic population in Ohio. Directional selection appears to be acting on an index that increases the size of the maxillary first (UM1) and mandibular second (LM2) molars and decreases the size of the maxillary second (UM2) and mandibular first (LM1) molars. Variance selection is fundamentally disruptive but results in a more integrated (highly correlated) set of characteristics in the after-selection sample.

Sustaining the Impact of UK Science and Heritage Research: Contributions to the AHRC/EPSRC Science and Heritage Programme Conference

The past 30 years has witnessed a dramatic shift in attitudes towards excavating (pre)historic ce... more The past 30 years has witnessed a dramatic shift in attitudes towards excavating (pre)historic cemeteries, the study of human remains, and the retention of remains in formal collections as well as their placement on public display. However, legislation and policy on their treatment varies dramatically, especially across international boundaries. For example, in 2004 the Human Tissue Act, ,the British parliament passed which enabled nine national museums the discretionary power to deaccession human remains under 1000 years old. The Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums was then published the following year as a ‘best practice’ document to aid institutions in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland by providing a legal and ethical framework for the treatment of human remains. Despite these efforts, most repatriation claims in England are not domestic, but are actually related to human remains from overseas. In this case, the Guidance advises that institutions become aware of relevant foreign legislation, especially as it relates to local policy and claimants’ expectations. Greater awareness is particularly critical with Native American human remains in the United States, which are broadly governed by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA, Public Law 101-601), a law that is both complicated and quite different from other countries. The goal of this paper is to inform UK institutions on NAGPRA terms and concepts, expectations among Native Americans, and available support resources. The paper will then provide recommendations on how to work within NAGPRA so that consultations on Native American human remains will be most fruitful.

Studies in the Geography of the American Indian. No. 2. Haskell Indian Nations University: Lawrence, KS, Jan 1, 1995

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA) Compliance Workshop Proceedings, , 1995

The Condition Assessment Risk Evaluation (CARE) project was a collaboration between heritage and ... more The Condition Assessment Risk Evaluation (CARE) project was a collaboration between heritage and science research interests at Newcastle University and Queen's University Belfast funder by AHRC's Science and Heritage Programme. Its primary objective was to co-produce a user-friendly, non-intrusive CARE toolkit for gathering and organising information essential for the long-term safeguarding of ancient rock art that exists out in the open. We were successful in creating a rock art monitoring tool; see hyperlinks in file section.

An AHRC-ESPRC funded Science and Heritage Research Cluster that brought together experts from env... more An AHRC-ESPRC funded Science and Heritage Research Cluster that brought together experts from environmental sciences, such as geochemistry, molecular microbiology, ecology, geomorphology, botany, and hydrology; heritage studies, such as archaeology; and managers of heritage resources within government and non-profit agencies. The technical goals of the cluster were to identify environmental processes that promote Ancient Stone Monument (ASM) decay (e.g., biological, chemical, and physical weathering); determine how such processes might be affected by changing climate and environmental conditions; prioritise research to generate more effective treatments of decay to improve conservation practices; investigate monument monitoring procedures in light of new scientific methods; and develop ASM heritage science as a platform for future heritage and scientific investigation.

"This project assessed how much human bone survives from the hundreds of excavated sites from the... more "This project assessed how much human bone survives from the hundreds of excavated sites from the Neolithic to the medieval period in Northeast England (Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, and County Durham). It contacted a range of institutions (i.e., museums, academic institutions, research laboratories, antiquarian societies, archaeological field units, etc) in Scotland, England, and Wales in order to gather information on human remains in those collections deriving from excavations in Northeast England. It associated these remains with specific excavation reports and assessed the feasibility of investigating the prehistory of life and death in the region, and combining scientific analyses of human remains with re-analysis of contextual information from previous archaeological excavations. Information acquired during this project fed into further research on Early Bronze Age burials in Northeast England, including osteological analyses and radiocarbon dating of remains in Tyne and Wear Museums collections.

Funder: Newcastle University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Research Fund

Publication: Dead and Forgotten?: Some Observations on Human Remains Documentation in the UK, co-authored (Kirsty McCarrison and Victoria Park) chapter in Curating Human Remains: Caring for the Dead in the United Kingdom (http://www.boydellandbrewer.com/store/viewItem.asp?idProduct=14153)"

Aldershot: Ashgate, 2006, hardback £55, pp.220

CIPA Heritage Documentation: Digital Workflows for Heritage Inventories Session, 2017

Crowdsourcing heritage information has enormous potential to help gather data needed to make deci... more Crowdsourcing heritage information has enormous potential to help gather data needed to make decisions over deployment of resources and heritage conservation funding. Taking advantage of the rapid proliferation of mobile devices, such as phones and tablets, packed with sensors to record data about the real world, and the global growth of mobile app stores; reaching potential crowdsourcing volunteers is easier than ever before. This paper describes the design of a mobile application known as Rock Art CARE (Condition Assessment Risk Evaluation) to crowdsource heritage conservation data, in the context of rock art conservation. As with conservation efforts of any kind, accurate information is vital to make informed triage decisions over where to route effort, resources and funding. The Rock Art CARE application is a cross platform mobile application for crowdsourcing information about rock art carvings, where the collated data are stored in a central location for access by different stakeholders. The paper goes on to detail the web portal with its API (Application Programming Interface) and database schema, and how the collected data are passed on to policy and decision makers to aid in the identification and conservation of the carvings most at risk.

"Last year at BRAG, we introduced the research project "Heritage and Science: Working Together in... more "Last year at BRAG, we introduced the research project "Heritage and Science: Working Together in the CARE of Rock Art”. Early scientific investigations showed that specific local conditions correlate with higher levels of stone deterioration that appears to be accelerating due broader environmental change. Specifically, field data and climate modelling suggested that rock art in Northumberland has potentially deteriorated more over the last 60 years than over the preceding ca. 6000 years (Giesen et al. 2013). This year we provide expanded results from fieldwork in Northumberland, SW Scotland, and the Republic of Ireland, which further links micro-environmental conditions and the relative deterioration of the rock art. This new work includes assessing rock mineralogy and stone weathering using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) techniques, and contrasting XRF and soil composition data at different locations with apparent levels of stone deterioration (defined a rock “stage”; Warke et al. 2003). Results will be highlighted in this presentation, which includes work funded by the Science and Heritage Programme at the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council.
"

A variety of human remains are held in collections (e.g., archaeological, ethnographic, and medic... more A variety of human remains are held in collections (e.g., archaeological, ethnographic, and medical) across United Kingdom, but collection details are often limited. Fortunately, a semblance of organisation in collections is growing, although the process is slow. For example, some successful effort has been made to summarise collections in direct response to the 2005 publication Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums (i.e., applicable in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) and the 2011 publication Guidelines for the Care of Human Remains in Scottish Museum Collections. This paper will discuss what is known about current UK human remains collections, and then discuss improved access and use of collections among potential stakeholders.

Thousands of Neolithic and Bronze Age rock art panels exist across northern England. However, des... more Thousands of Neolithic and Bronze Age rock art panels exist across northern England. However, desecration, pollution, and other factors are threatening the survival of these iconic stone monuments. Evidence suggest that rates of panel deterioration may be increasing, although it is not clear whether this is due to local factors or broader influences accelerated by climate change. To examine this question, 18 rock art panels with varied art motifs were studied at two panel locations in Northumberland. A condition assessment tool was used to first quantify state of deterioration of each panel (called “staging”). Staging estimates then were compared statistically with 27 geochemical and physical descriptors of local panel environments, including moisture, salinity, stone mineralogy (using XRF) and other factors. Climate modelling also was performed assess how climate change might influence these factors. Two environmental descriptors correlated with greater panel decay: panel height and soil cation content, and mineralogical data suggest that panels with intermediate weathering will be most affected by climate change. This combination of methods successfully identified panels in greatest jeopardy, which can used for similar assessments elsewhere.

The scope and size of human remains collections held in repositories around the world is largely ... more The scope and size of human remains collections held in repositories around the world is largely unknown and the United Kingdom (UK) is no exception. In particular, no comprehensive list exists that documents human remains in the UK, although estimates suggest that at least 115,000 individuals are held in English and Scottish repositories. This paper will describe what is known about these collections and how this knowledge (or lack thereof) influences their research potential. Following a discussion of the available documentation of UK collections, an overview will be provided on shared values towards human remains from an international perspective. Next, it will be suggested that neutrality (i.e., the assumption that no single belief system is privileged over another) is most important form of respect in the treatment of human remains, which requires a careful balance between spiritual and practical concerns of descendants, and important historical information that human remains research can provide. Finally, the future of scholarly research on human remains in collections will be discussed, including its dependence on mutual trust and respect, which can be gained through open and transparent consultations with the full range of interested parties.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has over 100 years of experience as a recognized leader o... more The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has over 100 years of experience as a recognized leader of water development projects in the western United States, and routinely assists water resource agencies in other countries. As a government agency, Reclamation is responsible for, and committed to, protecting and managing its irreplaceable resources in a spirit of stewardship for future generations to understand and enjoy. Reclamation created its Cultural Resources Management (CRM) programme in 1974 to manage the rich array of archaeological sites, buildings, technological wonders, and traditional cultural landscapes under its jurisdiction. Over the years, Reclamation has contributed significantly to the nation's knowledge and understanding of prehistoric and historic peoples. This presentation provides a historic perspective of the development of Reclamation’s CRM programme, identifies best practices for its delivery, and then identifies challenges it faces related to balancing CRM issues with other practical issues related to constructing dam and water delivery systems.

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act ((NAGPRA) 25 USC 3001 et seq.) was sig... more The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act ((NAGPRA) 25 USC 3001 et seq.) was signed into law on November 16, 1990; although the regulations (43 CFR Part 10) for administering NAGPRA were not formally established for another five years. NAGPRA is concerned with Native American human remains, associated and unassociated funerary objects, objects of cultural patrimony, and sacred objects. NAGPRA requires Federal agencies and museums to take certain actions, within a prescribed timeframe, under the provisions of the law. For example, summaries of unassociated funerary objects, objects of cultural patrimony, and sacred objects must have been completed by November 16, 1993. Inventories of human remains and associated funerary objects must have been completed by November 16, 1995. In addition, NAGPRA requires repatriation, on request, to the culturally affiliated tribes. It also strictly limits the sale or purchase of Native American human remains and cultural objects identified in the act, whether or not they derive from Federal or Indian lands. This paper will provide an overview of NAGPRA; the effects of the recent passage of federal regulations (December 4, 1995) to implement the law; and procedural differences in how to establish cultural affiliation with remains found before and after passage of NAGPRA. A recent court case involving NAGPRA will be explored. Special emphasis will be placed on the Freedom of Information Act and what is construed as a "good faith" effort when completing an inventory.

"The Human Osteology module provides the student with an in-depth study of the human skeleton. It... more "The Human Osteology module provides the student with an in-depth study of the human skeleton. Its primary focus is on the identification of human remains. The ability to accurately and precisely identify such remains is the fundamental skill in human osteology, as it is a prerequisite to all subsequent analysis. To acquire this skill, students will need to spend a significant amount of time focusing on individual bones and teeth in the laboratory and by using online sources, in addition to the scheduled lectures and practicals.

Students will examine human remains with a review of normal and abnormal variations. In the course of this examination, topics covered will include bone biology, growth and development, and anatomy. The student will learn how to record osteological observations and apply this knowledge to make determinations about age, sex, stature, and pathological conditions. In addition, the student will engage in discussions about how these data are used in the interpretation of historic and prehistoric patterns of health, disease, stress, and trauma. Other topics to be conserved are the ethics of human remain retention and research, and career paths that require skills in human osteology."

"This course is perfect for anyone interested in forensics, and what the dead can tell us. Throug... more "This course is perfect for anyone interested in forensics, and what the dead can tell us. Through lectures and informational videos, you will be provided an overview of the historic development of forensic anthropology and the techniques forensic anthropologies use to determine age, sex, and physical characteristics of an individual from their skeletonised remains. You will become familiar with human remains and will learn about the methods used for estimating time since death, determining cause and manner of death and positive identification. Additionally, you will become familiar with different recovery techniques for recovering human remains and connecting the biological details with missing persons. Case studies will be used to illustrate the application of specific field and laboratory techniques and to exemplify ethical concerns that arise when working with human remains in a legal context. Although you will have a much better appreciation and understanding of the field of forensic anthropology once you have completed this course, it will not provide you sufficient training to enable you to perform the professional duties of the fully-qualified forensic anthropologist."

This talk will be delivered in two parts. Part 1 will look at typical issues surround the curatio... more This talk will be delivered in two parts. Part 1 will look at typical issues surround the curation of archaeological collections, while Part 2 will narrow in on specific issues related to the curation of human remains. Topics to be considered include ethics, ownership, standards of care, accountability, access, documentation, and claims. Effort will be made to present the information from an international perspective.

This session will cover a wide range of issues in contemporary society surrounding the human body... more This session will cover a wide range of issues in contemporary society surrounding the human body after the point of death. It will specifically address how the human body is treated in and through display, exhibition, memorialisation, burial, and disposal. How do we deal with the ethics of displaying bodies in museums (as with the prehistoric human remains in the Alexander Keiller Museum, Avebury) and in art (as with the 'Body Worlds' exhibits)? Is it right to dig up and move Richard III or to view the bones and death sites of genocide victims as a form of tourism? What are the issues raised by their display in news media and social networking? These questions and more will be discussed on the day, with opportunities for Explore members to join in the debate. Session goers are encouraged to visit the BODY WORLDS Vital - The Exhibition of Real Human Bodies exhibition (http://www.life.org.uk/whats-on/body-worlds#.VHb0C_mPmKs) at the Centre for Life, Newcastle before it closes on 04 January 2015, in preparation for the session. Additionally, please read about the Avebury reburial request http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/professional/advice/advice-by-topic/heritage-science/archaeological-science/avebury-reburial-results/.

In this digital age, we accept and expect digital technology to be used to enhance detection and ... more In this digital age, we accept and expect digital technology to be used to enhance detection and conservation of heritage. Many also will know that volunteers and communities are major generators and keeper of information we have about the heritage around us. This session will explore the concept of citizen science where science, technologies, and volunteers are brought together to help protect heritage. Two local projects (one on rock art and the other on war memorials) will be used to show how individuals without any scientific background but armed with a smart phone or tablet can made a difference in the long term care of our heritage.

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, Apr 12, 2018

Crowdsourcing heritage information has enormous potential to help gather data needed to make deci... more Crowdsourcing heritage information has enormous potential to help gather data needed to make decisions over deployment of resources and heritage conservation funding. Taking advantage of the rapid proliferation of mobile devices, such as phones and tablets, packed with sensors to record data about the real world, and the global growth of mobile app stores; reaching potential crowdsourcing volunteers is easier than ever before. This paper describes the design of a mobile application known as Rock Art CARE (Condition Assessment Risk Evaluation) to crowdsource heritage conservation data, in the context of rock art conservation. As with conservation efforts of any kind, accurate information is vital to make informed triage decisions over where to route effort, resources and funding. The Rock Art CARE application is a cross platform mobile application for crowdsourcing information about rock art carvings, where the collated data are stored in a central location for access by different stakeholders. The paper goes on to detail the web portal with its API (Application Programming Interface) and database schema, and how the collected data are passed on to policy and decision makers to aid in the identification and conservation of the carvings most at risk.

This chapter will begin with an overview of practice developed by the UK museums’ sector. It then... more This chapter will begin with an overview of practice developed by the UK museums’ sector. It then will touch upon the archaeological sector’s approach to curation of human remains and move on to other interested parties who have developed statements about the care of human remains in the UK. It will then return to the Guidance and the Guidelines documents that cross discipline boundaries and set the stage for current practice.

Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 2021

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) research has long relied on household surveys to gather kno... more Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) research has long relied on household surveys to gather knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) data with local enumerators or community correspondents (CCs). However, CCs must be trained to build capacity and ensure representative survey responses. Here, we use a case study in low-income, informal communities from New Delhi, India to assess the value of structured training for individuals who lead the gathering of KAP data (CC leaders, CCLs) on WaSH and antibiotic resistance. Feedback from CCLs showed that directed training increased their motivation, confidence, and technical competence and provided them skills that enhanced data collection. Training further strengthened relationships and empowered our local community-based organisation (CBO), expanding their role beyond being an implementing partner. Empowerment led to new insights, such as evident problems with communications between local doctors and community dwellers. Only three of 38 fo...

Water, 2018

Globally increasing antibiotic resistance (AR) will only be reversed through a suite of multidisc... more Globally increasing antibiotic resistance (AR) will only be reversed through a suite of multidisciplinary actions (One Health), including more prudent antibiotic use and improved sanitation on international scales. Relative to sanitation, advanced technologies exist that reduce AR in waste releases, but such technologies are expensive, and a strategic approach is needed to prioritize more affordable mitigation options, especially for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Such an approach is proposed here, which overlays the incremental cost of different sanitation options and their relative benefit in reducing AR, ultimately suggesting the “next-most-economic” options for different locations. When considering AR gene fate versus intervention costs, reducing open defecation (OD) and increasing decentralized secondary wastewater treatment, with condominial sewers, will probably have the greatest impact on reducing AR, for the least expense. However, the best option for a given cou...

Data Revues 12962074 Unassign S1296207413000666, Jul 3, 2013

Several scholars have read and commented on one or another of the numerous drafts which have char... more Several scholars have read and commented on one or another of the numerous drafts which have characterized this work over the past several years. In this regard I am grateful to Gordon Day, William Fenton, Elizabeth Tooker, Michael Foster, Bruce Trigger, Bernard Hoffman, and Conrad Heidenreich. I am indebted to Michael Foster for his linguistic assessment of the Massawomeck place names which I have related here. Norman Carlson, George Hamell, Dave Kohler, and Marvin T. Smith directed my attention to obscure references which I might otherwise have overlooked. Nevertheless, I hasten to explain that I retain full responsibility for the interpretations and opinions proffered here. I am indebted to Barry C. Kent, Richard J. McCracken, Charles L. Lucy and Dolores Elliott for making known to me the mysteries of late woodland archaeology in the Susquehanna River valley. I am grateful for Richard J. McCracken having commented on Chapter IV, n 8. Once again I thank my good neighbor Tom Manning who generously extended to me the use of his extensive library and in particular his library of Hakluyt Society publications. I appreciate the diligence of Wayne Poapst and Jill Eagle who put my manuscript on tape. Last, but always first, I thank Margaret for having read or listened to most of the innumerable drafts so that she too is now an "expert" on the Massawomeck. vii THE MASSAWOMECK voyages of 1524 and 1525 and the first account of Europeans being present there dates from prior to 1546, the Massawomeck are not mentioned, nor can they be identified, until 1607.1 In December of that year John Smith, a charter member of the Jamestown Council, first learned of the Massawomeck from Wahunsencawh, principal chief of the Powhatan in whose territory the English had founded their Jamestown colony. Smith records this first account of the Massawomeck in his True Relation of such occurrences and accidents and noates both hapned in Virginia since the first planting of that Colony, which is now resident of the South part thereof, till the last returne from thence. In reality this was a letter in which Smith recounts events which took place over the period from December 1606 to June 1608 to "a worshipfull friend" in England whose identity remains unknown. Upon its arrival in England in July 1608, Smith's letter aroused sufficient interest to warrant its being submitted for publication under this title on 13 August 1608. Since it was compiled before June 1608, references to the Massawomeck in Smith's True Relation are limited to his account of the information related to him by Powhatan while he was held his prisoner over the period December 1607-January 1608. In 1612 Smith's second work, A Map of Virginia with a Description of the Countrey, the Commodities, People, Government, and Religion, was published. This work contains considerable information regarding the Indians of Virginia, but references to the Massawomeck are characteristically brief. It is the annex to Smith's work, which was also published in 1612, which concerns us here. Entitled Whereunto is Annexed the proceedings of tho'e Colonies, since their first departure from England, with the discourses, Orations, and relations of the Salvages, and the accidents that befell them in all their lournies and discoveries, this annex contains several firsthand accounts by various Jamestown colonists. The relations by Doctor William Russell, Anas Todkill, and Nathaniel(l) Po(w)ell regarding Smith's encounter with the Massawomeck on Chesapeake Bay and with the Tockwogh and Susquesahanock who described the Massawomeck, all of which occurred in June and July 1608, are particularly germane to 1 European interest in the latitudes of the Carolina Outer Banks and Chesapeake Bay in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in a large measure stemmed from the mistaken belief that in 1524 Giovanni da Verrazano had seen the Pacific Ocean when he had looked across the Outer Banks onto Albemarle and Pamlico sounds. This interpretation of Verrazano's discoveries is reflected in the pinch-waisted maps of North America prepared by Maggiolo in 1527 (Ganong 1964: fig. 34; Wroth 1970) and Verrazano's brother Gerolamo in 1529 (Quinn 1979 (1): fig. 44). As a result in the sixteenth century and well into the first quarter of the seventeenth, Spanish, French, and English explorers concentrated their search for a mid-Atlantic passage through America to the Orient in these latitudes. Some Jamestown settlers continued to search Chesapeake Bay tributaries for this passage westward as late as 1622 (Waterhouse 1622: 8-9). Nevertheless, until Smith first learned of the Massawomeck in 1607, there is no evidence that can be interpreted to be a reference to them by that name or any other.

The past 30 years has witnessed a dramatic shift in attitudes towards excavating (pre)historic ce... more The past 30 years has witnessed a dramatic shift in attitudes towards excavating (pre)historic cemeteries, the study of human remains, and the retention of remains in formal collections as well as their placement on public display. However, legislation and policy on their treatment varies dramatically, especially across international boundaries. For example, in 2004 the Human Tissue Act, ,the British parliament passed which enabled nine national museums the discretionary power to deaccession human remains under 1000 years old. The Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums was then published the following year as a ‘best practice’ document to aid institutions in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland by providing a legal and ethical framework for the treatment of human remains. Despite these efforts, most repatriation claims in England are not domestic, but are actually related to human remains from overseas. In this case, the Guidance advises that institutions become aware of ...

This chapter will discuss how human remains find their way into collections, where collected huma... more This chapter will discuss how human remains find their way into collections, where collected human remains are located and what influences and governs the care of human remains.

Ancient stone monuments (ASMs), such as standing stones and rock art panels, are powerful and ico... more Ancient stone monuments (ASMs), such as standing stones and rock art panels, are powerful and iconic expressions of Britain's rich prehistoric past that have major economic and tourism value. However, ASMs are under pressure due to increasing anthropogenic exposure and changing climatic conditions, which accelerate their rates of disrepair. Although scientific data exists on the integrity of stone monuments, most applies to "built" systems; therefore, additional work specific to ASMs in the countryside is needed to develop better-informed safeguarding strategies. Here, we use Neolithic and Bronze Age rock art panels across Northern England as a case study for delineating ASM management actions required to enhance monument preservation. The state of the rock art is described first, including factors that led to current conditions. Rock art management approaches then are described within the context of future environments, which models suggest to be more dynamic and locally variable. Finally, a Condition Assessment and Risk Evaluation (CARE) scheme is proposed to help prioritise interventions; an example of which is provided based on stone deterioration at Petra in Jordon. We conclude that more focused scientific and behavioural data, specific to deterioration mechanisms, are required for an ASM CARE scheme to be successful.

CRM-WASHINGTON-, 2000

Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA) to protect Native American sacred sites. This designation also expa... more Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA) to protect Native American sacred sites. This designation also expands the definition of “cultural resource” to include sites that may lack material remains. The purpose of PL 93-638 is to promote tribal sovereignty by allowing tribes to ...

Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2014

Thousands of Neolithic and Bronze Age open-air rock art panels exist across the countryside in no... more Thousands of Neolithic and Bronze Age open-air rock art panels exist across the countryside in northern England. However, desecration, pollution, and other factors are threatening the survival of these iconic stone monuments. Evidence suggest that rates of panel deterioration may be increasing, although it is not clear whether this is due to local factors or wider environmental influences accelerated by environmental change. To examine this question, 18 rock art panels with varied art motifs were studied at two major panel locations at Lordenshaw and Weetwood Moor in Northumberland. A condition assessment tool was used to first quantify the level of deterioration of each panel (called "staging"). Stage estimates then were compared statistically with 27 geochemical and physical descriptors of local environments, such as soil moisture, salinity, pH, lichen coverage, soil anions and cation levels, and panel orientation, slope, and standing height. In parallel, climate modelling was performed using UKCP09 to assess how projected climatic conditions (to 2099) might affect the environmental descriptors most correlated with elevated stone deterioration. Only two descriptors significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with increased stage: the standing height of the panel and the exchangeable cation content of the local soils, although moisture conditions also were potentially influential at some panels. Climate modelling predicts warming temperatures, more seasonally variable precipitation, and increased wind speeds, which hint stone deterioration could accelerate in the future due to increased physiochemical weathering. We recommend key panels be targeted for immediate management intervention, focusing on reducing wind exposures, improving site drainage, and potentially immobilizing soil salts.

Dictionary of Museology, 2023