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Join us for a fascinating exploration into the human story, written not on parchment, but in bone. This presentation bridges the fields of human evolution and bioarchaeology to reveal how the human skeleton serves as a remarkable archive of our past. We will trace the evolutionary journey from early hominids to modern Homo sapiens, examining key skeletal adaptations—from bipedalism to cranial changes. Using bioarchaeological evidence, we'll decode the subtle clues found in ancient remains, uncovering insights into the health, diet, migration patterns, and cultural practices of past populations. Discover how every fracture, feature, and fossil tells a crucial part of our story, helping us understand not just where we came from, but what it means to be human.
About the Speaker
Dr. James Watson is associate director and curator of bioarchaeology at the Arizona State Museum, as well as a professor of anthropology at the University of Arizona. Dr. Watson's research applies a biocultural approach to examine health and disease in prehistoric populations through the analysis of skeletal remains. He is particularly focused on understanding human adaptations in desert ecosystems, specifically how local resources and the adoption of agriculture impacted the health and lifestyle of past peoples. His current research projects involve the excavation and analysis of the earliest farmers in the Sonoran Desert of northwest Mexico and southwest US. Dr. Watson teaches courses in Human Osteology and Diseases and Human Evolution.