An experiential tagged course where bones tell human stories
Professor Tiffany Fracchia teaches ANTH 3372: Human Osteology. In this course, students learn to identify all 206 bones and 32 teeth of the human body and apply these skills to explore how social and environmental factors shape human health across time.
Through hands-on lab work, students examine complete skeletons and bone fragments to estimate age, sex, statures, and indicators of disease or trauma. These analyses connect ancient populations and modern forensic contexts, revealing how skeletal evidence can inform both archaeological research and contemporary investigations.
Professor Fracchia emphasizes the course's interdisciplinary value, particularly for those pursuing health professions. "Many pre-med students connect with the material in Human Osteology because it is the most comprehensive course focused on the human skeletal anatomy at VU," explained Fracchia. Human Osteology not only teaches anatomy but also humanizes the study of biology and health through the stories bones can tell.
Pictured left is a drawing done by current (Fall 2025) Human Osteology student Serena Xia.
