Can the dead speak? What can we learn about the past from bones and burials? In this course, we will examine how (bio)archaeologists gather empirical evidence and make inferences about the past through the analysis of human remains found in archaeological contexts. Bones can reveal many biographical details of an individual’s life including age, sex, diet, migration, health, stature, injuries, or disease. Artifacts and other archaeological data from burial contexts can reveal status, occupation, gender, religion affiliations, or other cultural insights. At a broader scale, mortuary practices and forms of individual or collective commemoration can also allow archaeologists to interpret the values and beliefs of a society. Yet, ethical issues related to the study of human remains are complex and have a deeply troubled history. How can human remains be respectfully analyzed and interpreted in the pursuit of scientific investigation about the past?