From 4–7 June 2026 we hosted the 2nd hands-on workshop “Bones & Beyond: Unlocking the Past through Faunal Remains,” led by Dr. Pankaj Goyal and Ms. Nibedita Naskar from Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute, Pune. The four-day program combined lectures, close observation, and practical experimentation to reveal how animal bones record past human life.
Day 1 — Butchery in the archaeological record
Participants learned to read cut marks, chop marks, and fracture patterns on bone to reconstruct ancient butchering techniques. Through case studies and discussion we explored how butchery traces reveal diet, craft, trade, ritual, and tool use.
Day 2 — Bones map power
We examined spatial patterns in faunal remains and how species representation and cut patterns reflect social access and status. Elite areas often yield high-value species and prime cuts, while peripheral zones contain small game and discard. In the second session, participants moved from theory to practice: working with real archaeological material, they identified skeletal elements, assessed age and side indicators, and recorded modifications such as cut marks, burning, and weathering. Collaborative identification exercises sharpened observational skills and reinforced taphonomic interpretation.
Day 3 — Experimental archaeozoology
The workshop turned hands-on as participants replicated bone-working techniques to make artefacts. This experimental approach highlighted material properties, manufacturing sequences, and wear patterns, linking craft practice to the archaeological record and enabling more robust testing of behavioural hypotheses.
Day 4 — Excavation and recovery of faunal remains
On the final day participants learned field methods for excavating and extracting faunal remains, emphasizing careful recovery, documentation, and context recording to preserve the information bones carry.
We thank Dr. Pankaj Goyal and Ms. Nibedita Naskar for their expert guidance, and applaud the participants for their curiosity, teamwork, and rigorous attention to detail. The workshop successfully turned curiosity into skill — evidence-based craftsmanship in action.
