Grave BE 30, multiple burial. Lerna (Courtesy C. Zerner)

The (re-)examination of the skeletal material involves established methods, such as analysis of metric and non-metric dental and skeletal traits, but also stable isotopes analysis and DNA analysis.
These different techniques allow inferences to be made on age and sex determination, kinship structure, dietary variation, as well as on genetic affiliations (biological kinship and ethnic composition of groups). The combination of different techniques enables us to control biases and to increase the reliability of the results.
The main question addressed in this sub-project is the reconstruction of both horizontal (kinship) and vertical (status differences) relations within communities, while the possibility of differentiation along ethnic lines will also be explored.

The (re-)examination of the skeletal material from the main cemeteries at Argos, Asine and Lerna is currently undertaken by Sevi Triantaphyllou (Lerna, Argos (Aspis, “tumuli”), Mycenae – Prehistoric Cemetery, Mycenae – Grave Circle B) and Anne Ingvarsson-Sundström (Asine).
Sevi Triantaphyllou has now completed the re-examination of the Lerna, Argos and Mycenae skeletons, and is now analyzing the data. She has presented the first results in talks in Nauplio, Montreal (AIA), and at the MESOHELLADIKA conference; she will also make a presentation at the One-Day Conference on 19 December 2007 in Athens. Anne Ingvarsson-Sundström has completed the examination of the Asine skeletons, and is now analyzing the data. In summer 2007 she has also studied the skeletons from the Greek sector in Midea. She has presented a poster at the MESOHELLADIKA conference; she will also give a talk at the One-Day Conference on 19 December 2007 in Athens.

For more information on the analysis of the osteological material, click here.