Archaeology Staff
Dr Kath McSweeney
MA(Hons), PhD, FSA Scot
Honorary Fellow
- Email: Kath.McSweeney@ed.ac.uk
- School of History, Classics and Archaeology, William Robertson Wing, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG
Biography
I am a native of Edinburgh and very proud of my city and its prestigious University. I graduated with an MA (Hons) in Archaeology from the University of Edinburgh in 1982. I gained my PhD in 2003. Soon after graduating I joined the academic staff of Edinburgh University’s Archaeology Department as a research associate when I established the teaching of human osteoarchaeology, at both undergraduate and graduate level. I retired in 2021 as a senior lecturer in human osteoarchaeology, and Director of three Taught MSc programmes: Osteoarchaeology, Human Osteoarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology.
Summary of research interests
Places:- Europe
- Near East
- Scotland
- Ancient Civilisations
- Bioarchaeology & Human Origins
- Medicine, Science & Technology
- Society
- Prehistory
- Antiquity
- Medieval
Research interests
It was during my time as an archaeology undergraduate that I first became involved in human osteoarchaeology, although at that time the subject was not taught at the University of Edinburgh.
For several years after graduation I worked as a freelance human bone specialist, working mainly on Scottish prehistoric and historic skeletal material. During this period I was invited to research skeletal populations in both the United Arab Emirates and Romania and continued to work for many years in both areas. Archaeological skeletal populations from both countries formed the basis of research for my PhD the University of Edinburgh, entitled “The connections between health and diet in prehistoric populations”. I am interested in all aspects of the interpretation of life, death and burial practices from the skeleton and I have worked on skeletal material from many prehistoric and historic periods in Scotland, Europe and the Middle East. Specific research interests include:
- Skeletal analysis within the archaeological context
- Population health
- Skeletal evidence for diet
- The skeletal analysis and interpretation of burial practices from cremated remains
- The effects of burial practices and taphonomic processes on the survival of human remains;
- The skeletal manifestations of interpersonal violence, both during life and at the time of death, including fractures and projectile injuries.
Current research activities
- Early Bronze Age infants from Bulgarian Thrace
- Bulgarian Chalcolithic skeletal remains
- Early Bronze Age populations from the Arabian Peninsula
- Skeletal Remains from Bronze Age tumuli in Transylvania
- Late Mesolithic populations from Romania
- Ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Medieval remains from Nessebar, Bulgaria
Research projects
- Population changes in health, diet and demography in the prehistoric • Danube Basin
- Early Bronze Age Infant Burials: a bioarchaeological, stable isotopic, and radiocarbon study
- The Um an-Nar period at Hili
Current Students:
| Name | Degree | Thesis topic | Supervision type | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aguraiuja, Ulle | PhD | Reconstruction of Bronze Age diet in the Romanian Sub Carpathians | Joint | |
| PhD | The application of Bergmann’s and Allen’s rules in archaic human populations | Primary | ||
| Boyle, Angela | PhD | Violence and Conflict in Northern Britain C.500 to 1000 AD: Evidence for interpersonal violence in human skeletal remains | Primary | |
| PhD | Forensic Anthropology techniques of positive identification through anomalies in the human bone registry. | Primary | ||
| Evatt, Anna | PhD | A bioarchaeological investigation of human remains during the Mesolithic period in Europe | Joint | |
| Hukelova, Zuzana | PhD | Changes in Lifestyle from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age in Central Europe | Primary | link |
| McMath, Phillip | PhD | A bioarchaeological investigation into they Byzantine life way on the Black Sea Coast of Bulgaria. | Primary | |
| PhD | Morbidity and mortality in relation to the environment: a comparison of British urban and rural skeletal populations | Primary | ||
| PhD | Sub-Adult health in al-Andaluz: an analysis of skeletal remains from 8th-12th C AD | Primary | ||
| PhD | Zoological Analysis of the Unicorn | Primary |
Past Students:
| Name | Degree | Thesis topic | Supervision type | Completion year | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willows, Marlo | PhD | Health Status in Lowland Medieval Scotland: a Regional Analysis of Four Skeletal Populations | Primary | 2016 | |
| Diana, Annamaria | PhD | Medieval populations, society and climate: an interdisciplinary approach to the analysis of two skeletal assemblages from Bucharest and Brașov (Romania), 14th-18th c. AD | Joint | 2016 | |
| Gooney, Dawn | PhD | Life and Death in Iron Age Orkney: An osteoarchaeological examination of the human skeletal remains from the burial ground at Knowe of Skea, Westray. | Primary | 2015 | |
| Fraser, Sheena | PhD | Mammals in Late Neolithic Orkney | Secondary | 2015 | |
| Medina-pettersson, Cecilia | PhD | Cremation technology and ritual in Bronze Age Scotland | Primary | 2014 | |
| Bonsall, Laura | PhD | A biocultural perspective on the health and socio-economic status of women in two Romano-British communities | Primary | 2013 | |
| Thomas, Jayne-leigh | PhD | Late Bronze/Early Iron Age Skeletal Populations of Slovenia | Primary | 2011 |
Books - Edited
Gerdau-Radoni, K. and McSweeney, K. (eds.) (2015) Trends in Biological Anthropology 1 (Monograph Series). Oxford: Oxbow Books
Articles
Olalde, I., Brace, S., Allentoft, M., Armit, I., Kristiansen, K., Booth, T., Rohland, N., Mallick, S., Szécsényi-Nagy, A., Mittnik, A., Altena, E., Lipson, M., Lazaridis, I., Harper, T., Patterson, N., Broomandkhoshbacht, N., Diekmann, Y., Faltyskova, Z., Fernandes, D., Ferry, M., Harney, E., de Knijff, P., Michel, M., Oppenheimer, J., Stewardson, K., Barclay, A., Alt, K., Liesau, C., Rios, P., Blasco Romera, C., Miguel, J., Garcia, M., Fernandez, A., Banffy, E., Bernabo-Brea, M., Billoin, D., Bonsall, C., Bonsall, L., Allen, T., Buster, L., Carver, S., Navarro, L., Craig, O., Cook, G., Cunliffe, B., Denaire, A., Dinwiddy, K., Dodwell, N., Ernee, M., Evans, C., Kucharik, M., Farre, J., Fowler, A., Gazenbeek, M., Pena, R., Haber-Uriarte, M., Haduch, E., Hey, G., Jowett, N., Knowles, T., Massy, K., Pfrengle, S., Lefranc, P., Lemercier, O., Lefebvre-Schuhl, A., Martinez, C., Olmo, V., Ramirez, A., Maurandi, J., Majo, T., McKinley, J., McSweeney, K., Mende, B., Modi, A., Kulcsar, G., Kiss, V., Czene, A., Patay, R., Endrodi, A., Kohler, K., Hajdu, T., Szeniczey, T., Dani, J., Bernert, Z., Hoole, M., Cheronet, O., Keating, D., Veleminsky, P., Dobe, M., Candilio, F., Brown, F., Fernandez-Santiago, R., Herrero-Corral, A., Tusa, S., Carnieri, E., Lentini, L., Valenti, A., Zanini, A., Waddington, C., Delibes, G., Guerra-Doce, E., Neil, B., Brittain, M., Luke, G., Mortimer, R., Desideri, J., Besse, M., Brucken, G., Furmanek, M., Hauszko, A., Mackiewicz, M., Rapinski, A., Leach, S., Soriano, I., Lillios, K., Cardoso, J., Pearson, M., Wodarczak, P., Price, T., Prieto, P., Rey, P., Risch, R., Guerra, M., Schmitt, A., Serralongue, J., Silva, M., Smrcka, V., Vergnaud, L., Zilhao, J., Caramelli, D., Higham, T., Thomas, M., Kennett, D., Fokkens, H., Heyd, V., Sheridan, A., Sjogren, K., Stockhammer, P., Krause, J., Pinhasi, R., Haak, W., Barnes, I., Lalueza-Fox, C. and Reich, D. (2018) The Beaker phenomenon and the genomic transformation of northwest Europe. Nature, 555(7695), pp. 190-196DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25738
Mathieson, I., Alpaslan-Roodenberg, S., Posth, C., Szécsényi-Nagy, A., Rohland, N., Mallick, S., Olalde, I., Broomandkhoshbacht, N., Candilio, F., Cheronet, O., Fernandes, D., Ferry, M., Gamarra, B., González-Fortes, G., Haak, W., Harney, E., Jones, E., Keating, D., Krause-Kyora, B., Kucukkalipci, I., Michel, M., Mittnik, A., Nägele, K., NOVAK, M., Oppenheimer, J., Patterson, N., Pfrengle, S., Sirak, K., Stewardson, K., Vai, S., Alexandrov, S., Alt, K., Andreescu, R., Antonović, D., Ash, A., Atanassova, N., Bacvarov, K., Gusztáv, M., Bocherens, H., Bolus, M., Boroneanţ, A., Boyadzhiev, Y., Budnik, B., Burmaz, J., Chohadzhiev, S., Conard, N., Cottiaux, R., Čuka, M., Cupillard, C., Drucker, D., Elenski, N., Francken, M., Galabova, B., Ganetsovski, G., Gély, B., Hajdu, T., Handzhyiska, V., Harvati, K., Higham, T., Iliev, S., Janković, I., Karavanić, I., Kennett, D., Komšo, D., Kozak, A., Labuda, D., Lari, M., Lazar, C., Leppek, M., Leshtakov, K., Lo Vetro, D., Los, D., Lozanov, I., Malina, M., Martini, F., McSweeney, K., Meller, H., Mentušić, M., Mirea, P., Moiseyev, V., Petrova, V., Douglas Price, T., Simalcsik, A., Sineo, L., Šlaus, M., Slavchev, V., Stanev, P., Starović, A., Szeniczey, T., Talamo, S., Teschler-Nicola, M., Thevenet, C., Valchev, I., Valentin, F., Vasilyev, S., Veljanovska, F., Venelinova, S., Veselovskaya, E., Viola, B., Virag, C., Zaninović, J., Zaüner, S., Stockhammer, P., Catalano, G., Krauß, R., Caramelli, D., Zariną, G., Gaydarska, B., Lillie, M., Nikitin, A., Potekhina, I., Papathanasiou, K., Borić, D., Bonsall, C., Krause, J., Pinhasi, R. and Reich, D. (2018) The genomic history of southeastern Europe. Nature, 555(7695), pp. 197-203DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25778
Bonsall, C., Cook, G., Pickard, C., McSweeney, K., Sayle, K., Bartosiewicz, L., Radovanović, I., Higham, T., Soficaru, A. and Boroneanţ, A. (2015) Food for thought: Re-assessing mesolithic diets in the Iron gates. Radiocarbon: An International Journal of Cosmogenic Isotope Research, 57(4), pp. 689-699DOI: https://doi.org/10.2458/azu_rc.57.18440
Bonsall, C., Vasić, R., Boroneanț, A., Roksandic, M., Soficaru, A., McSweeney, K., Evatt, A., Aguraiuja, Ü., Pickard, C., Dimitrijević, V., Higham, T., Hamilton, D. and Cook, G. (2015) New AMS 14C Dates for Human Remains from Stone Age Sites in the Iron Gates Reach of the Danube, Southeast Europe. Radiocarbon: An International Journal of Cosmogenic Isotope Research, 57(1), pp. 33-46DOI: https://doi.org/10.2458/azu_rc.57.18188
Boroneant, A., McSweeney, K. and Bonsall, C. (2014) Schela Cladovei 1982: A supplement to the original excavation report of Vasile Boroneanţ. Analele Banatului, XXII , pp. 17-31
Bonsall, C., Boroneanț, A., Soficaru, A., McSweeney, K., Higham, T., Mirițoiu, N., Pickard, C. and Cook, G. (2012) Interrelationship of age and diet in Romania's oldest human burial. The Science of Nature, 99(4), pp. 321-325DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-012-0897-1
Bonsall, C., Horvat, M., McSweeney, K., Masson, M., Higham, T., Pickard, C. and Cook, G. (2007) Chronological and dietary aspects of the human burials from Ajdovska Cave, Slovenia. Radiocarbon: An International Journal of Cosmogenic Isotope Research, 49(2), pp. 727-740
Cook, G., Bonsall, C., Hedges, R., McSweeney, K., Bartosiewicz, L. and Pettitt, P. (2002) Problems of dating human bones from the Iron Gates. Antiquity, 76(291), pp. 77-85
Cook, G., Bonsall, C., Hedges, R., McSweeney, K., Boroneanț, V. and Pettitt, P. (2001) A freshwater diet-derived 14C reservoir effect at the Stone Age sites in the Iron Gates gorge. Radiocarbon: An International Journal of Cosmogenic Isotope Research, 43(2A), pp. 453-460
Boroneanț, V., Bonsall, C., McSweeney, K., Payton, R. and Macklin, M. (2001) Mormintele mezolitice dîn Aria III de la Schela Cladovei. Apulum (Acta Musei Apulensis), 38(1), pp. 1-7
Chapters
Bonsall, C., Cook, G., Pickard, C., McSweeney, K., Bartosiewicz, L., Sayle, K., Radovanović, I., Higham, T. and Boroneanț, A. (forthcoming) Distinguishing between freshwater- and terrestrial-based diets? A Mesolithic case study from the Iron Gates. In: Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on the Mesolithic in Europe, Santander, Spain. 13th–17th September 2010.
McSweeney, K. and Bacvarov, K. (2017) Processed babies: Early Bronze Age infant burials from Bulgarian Thrace. In: Murphy, E. and Le Roy, M. (eds.) Children, Death and Burial: Archaeological Discourses. Oxford: Oxbow Books, pp. 91-106
McSweeney, K. (2017) Къснонеолитното ямно поле. In: Bacvarov, K., Tonkova, M. and Katsarov, G. (eds.) Сърнево Вкопани структури от късния неолит, ранната и късната желязна епоха и римския период Том 1 Къснонеолитното ямно поле Под редакцията на Крум Бъчваров, Милена Тонкова и Георги Кацаров София. Sofia
McSweeney, K. (2016) Human skeletal analysis: The osteological approach. In: Bacvarov, K. and Gleser, R. (eds.) Southeast Europe and Anatolia in prehistory: Essays in honor of Vassil Nikolov on his 65th anniversary. Dr. Rudolph Habelt GmbH, pp. 493-499
McSweeney, K., Bacvarov, K., Nikolov, V., Andreeva, D. and Bonsall, C. (2016) Infant burials in Early Bronze Age Bulgaria: A bioarchaeological appraisal of funerary behaviour. In: Nikolov , V. and Schier , W. (eds.) Der Schwarzmeerraum vom Neolithikum bis in die Früheisenzeit (6000–600 v. Chr.). Berlin: Marie Leidorf, pp. 391-402
Bacvarov, K., Katsarov, G., Todorova, N., Petrova, V. and McSweeney, K. (2016) The dead and the nested pots: An Early Neolithic ditch burial at Nova Nadezhda, Bulgarian Thrace. In: Bacvarov, K. and Gleser, R. (eds.) Southeast Europe and Anatolia in prehistory: Essays in honor of Vassil Nikolov on his 65th anniversary. Dr. Rudolph Habelt GmbH, pp. 149-158
McSweeney, K. (2010) Life and Death in an early bronze age community from Hili, al Ain, UAE. In: Weeks, L. (ed.) Death and Burial in Arabia and Beyond: Multidisciplinary perspectives. Archaeopress, pp. 45-53
McSweeney, K. (2010) Rescue excavations of ritual complexes of Kasnoneolitnata, Early Iron, Late Iron Age for Iron Age and Roman Sarnevo, Radnevsko (Facility 5, Lot 2, Trakia, KM 226 +600 - KM 226 +850). In: National Archaeology Institute and Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences: Archaeological Findings and Excavations in 2009. National Archaeology Institute and Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofie, pp. 47-51
Conference contribution
Mery, S., Gasparini, D., Basset, G., Berger, J., Berthelot, A., Borgi, F., Lidour, K., Parker, A., Preston, G. and McSweeney, K. (2016) Mort violente en Arabie: La sepulture multiple d'Umm al Quwain UAQ2 (Emirats arabes unis), Vle millenaire BC. In: Archéologie Des Chasseurs-cueilleurs Maritimes De La Fonction Des Habitats À L’organisation De L’espace Littoral. Paris: Société préhistorique française, pp. 323-343
Bonsall, C., McSweeney, K., Payton, R., Pickard, C., Bartosiewicz, L. and Boroneanț, A. (2013) Death On The Danube: Late Mesolithic Burials At Schela Cladovei, Romania. In: Facets Of The Past. The Challenge Of The Balkan Neo-Eneolithic. Bucharest: Editura Academiei Române, pp. 55-67
Bonsall, C., Cook, G., Pickard, C., McSweeney, K. and Bartosiewicz, L. (2009) Dietary trends at the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in North-west Europe. In: Chronology and Evolution within the Mesolithic of North-West Europe: Proceedings of an International Meeting, Brussels, May 30th-June 1st 2007. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, pp. 539-562
Cook, G., Bonsall, C., Pickard, C., McSweeney, K., Bartosiewicz, L. and Boroneanț, A. (2009) The Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in the Iron Gates, Southeast Europe: Calibration and dietary issues. In: Chronology and Evolution within the Mesolithic of North-West Europe: Proceedings of an International Meeting, Brussels, May 30th-June 1st 2007. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, pp. 497-515