This broad thematic encompasses a number of sub-projects, largely supported by STARC graduate students. The focus is on human osteoarchaeological assessments of migration, kinship, diet, activity and pathology. Temporally, this study covers the Early Neolithic to modern times, with most of the assemblages dating to the Hellenistic period and the Roman era. Ongoing projects cover dietary patterns in Roman Macedonia (North Greece), biocultural expressions of social stratification in Attica, Corinth and Boeotia (central Greece), and the osteobiography of individuals buried at the 18th c. Ayia Napa Monastery and Panagiotissa-Paralimni (Cyprus), the bioarchaeology of the ancient inhabitants of Kition (Cyprus), biocultural dimensions of networking in Roman era Byblos, Beirut and Tyre (Lebanon), and many others. In order to promote further synthetic studies and meta-analyses in the region, we have created Bi(bli)oArch, a bibliographic database for human bioarchaeological studies in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, which can be accessed here.

              Map visualizing the EMME sites where we are currently conducting osteoarchaeological research 
(Samples from Ayia Napa) mandible with ante mortem tooth loss (right) and fibula with healed fracture and exostosis (left)

Representative publications

Nikita, E., & Triantaphyllou, S. (2017). Human osteoarchaeology in Greece: research themes, challenges and potential. Archaeological Reports, 63, 63-75.

Nikita, E., Schrock, C., Sabetai, V., & Vlachogianni, E. (2019). Bioarchaeological perspectives to diachronic life quality and mobility in ancient Boeotia, central Greece: Preliminary insights from Akraiphia. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 29(1), 26-35.

Nikita, E. (2020). Biodistance studies in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East: An overview and future prospects. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 34, 102647.

Rathmann, H., Kyle, B., Nikita, E., Harvati, K., & Saltini Semerari, G. (2019). Population history of southern Italy during Greek colonization inferred from dental remains. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 170(4), 519-534.

Vergidou, C., Karamitrou-Mentessidi, G., Voutsaki, S., & Nikita, E. (2021). Oral health and its implications on male-female dietary differences: A study from the Roman Province of Macedonia. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 35, 102784.