Upper School Intersession 2025

We now know that sex and gender are an interrelated spectrum. These are reflected in the way archaeologists view skeletons, and helps to problematise our view of sex and gender concepts and roles in ancient societies. This session will teach methods used to perform scientific sex assessments and the ways we use that and other archaeological indicators to suggest gender. From there, we will discuss and problematise the ways that sex and gender have been discussed in archaeology, and how that has impacted the public understanding of ancient societies.

Key questions: Were women always confined to domestic spaces? Were men always hunters? Is there archaeological evidence for trans, non-binary, and other gender identities across the ancient world? How have researchers misidentified sex and gender of archaeological individuals, and how does this change our understanding of their identities and societies?

Part of a series: “Ethical issues in archaeology." Students are invited to attend one or more sessions in this series by Stacy.

In this session, we will be viewing images of ancient human remains.