Numerous undergraduate and graduate students
from a variety of disciplines and institutions have participated in the
Byzantine St. Stephen's project since it's inception in the summer of 1995.
A summary of the work completed each season, listing of institutions and
disciplines involved, and brief biographies for each student are available
below.
 |
Summer 1995:
During
the first field season, approximately 1,200 skeletal remains were exhumed
from repository 6. They were washed, labeled, catalogued and analyzed by
Sheridan and Richtsmeier. Originally the study was only to last for the
duration of the summer, however, the École Biblique became interested
in the research and generously committed storage space for the exhumed
remains. They also extended an invitation for a second season of analysis.
Jennifer Richtsmeier (pictured
in repository)
|
Summer 1996:
During
the second field season, Fathers Patrick Cronauer, OSB and Eugene Kaboré,
OCE joined the team. An additional 2,000 remains were exhumed and processed
this summer. The École agreed to permit a third field season.
-
Patrick Cronauer, OSB
-
Eugene Kaboré, OCE
-
Jennifer Richtsmeier
Pictured (r): Father Patrick Cronauer,
OSB studying Byzantine crania. Pictured (far right): Father
Eugene Kaboré, OCE preparing
a sample for fluoride analysis. |
 |
 |
1996-97:
During
the academic year, projects based on the Byzantine collection were incorporated
into Dr. Sheridan's "Human Osteology" course. They included an analysis
of the biomechanics of kneeling, and a survey of childhood stress indicators,
with particular emphasis on dental defects (enamel hypoplasias). This work
was carried forward by some students as "Directed Research" in the Spring
semester.
-
James Boyle
-
Erin McCluskey
-
Cynthia Ryan
-
Rebeccah Sanders
-
Anthony Schafer
Pictured (l-r):. E McCluskey,
R Sanders, A Schafer, C Ryan, J Boyle. |
 |
Summer 1997:
The
third summer field season saw an increase in the number of students involved.
The remaining bones were exhumed, bringing the size of the collection to
over 15,000. Given the wealth of information found in the bones, the size
of the collec5tion, the diversity of material culture present, and the
growing historical information being gathered for the site, a three year
agreement was reached with the École Biblique for storage of the
remains. A laboratory for housing the bones, and continued analysis was
also established. These arrangements were made possible through the generous
financial support of the University of Notre Dame.
 |
-
Richard Bautch
-
Kelley Coblentz Bautch
-
Patrick Cronauer, OSB
-
Sarah Niebuhr
-
Rebeccah Sanders
-
Anthony Schafer
Pictured (l-r): Rebeccah
Sanders, Rich Bautch, Kelley Coblentz Bautch, and Tony Schafer in Byzantine
tomb. |
1997-98:
Dr.
Susan Sheridan spent the 1997-98 academic year in Jerusalem with the support
of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the WF Albright Institute
for Archaeological Research, and the University of Notre Dame. During that
time, a team of interns from several institutions volunteered on the project.
A library of historical information was collected, and a large database
of biological information amassed.
 |
John Cheadle
Patrick Cronauer
Alison French
Jill Jones
Angela Kim
Brian Kvasnica
Colin O'Neil
Rebeccah Sanders
Pictured (l-r): R Bautch, KCoblentz
Bautch, J Cheadle, A French, R Sanders, SG Sheridan, A Kim, C O'Neill at
St. George's Monastery in Wadi Kelt, near Jericho. |
Summer 1998:
Measurement
of the bones continued throughout the summer with the same members of the
Academic year team. The Bautches returned for the summer as well and began
a systematic survey of the literature for comparative osteological collections.
 |
-
Richard Bautch
-
John Cheadle
-
Kelley Coblentz Bautch
-
Alison French
-
Angela Kim
-
Brian Kvasnica
-
Colin O'Neil
-
Rebeccah Sander
Pictured (l): Kelley Coblentz Bautch
and "helper". |
1998-99:
The
data collected during the 1997 academic year was incorporated into Dr.
Sheridan's "Human Osteology" course. Ten students utilized raw data for
research projects in class. Also, three students began a study of non-metric
traits for a joint "Directed Research" project. Graduate students from
Theology continued with the project, writing grants to support their research,
and establishing an on-line database for the library holdings of the Byzantine
Jerusalem project. One anthropology student received a Fulbright
Fellowship to analyze the subadult remains in Jerusalem, and two others
volunteered their time as interns in Jerusalem. And, one intern from the
1997-98 academic year presented his research at the American Association
of Physical Anthropology Meetings in Columbus, OH.
Top (l-r): H Martin,
J. Benn, J Ramp, J DeLaruelle, B Berkowitz, W Brennan, L Voiter
 |
Jada Benn
Benjamin Berkowitz
William Brennan
John Cheadle
Kelley Coblentz Bautch
Jocelyn DeLaruelle
Jessica Freese
Alison French
Angela Kim
Katie Kowalski
|
James Kwiatt
Mary Lagos
Heather Martin
Elizabeth Moriarty
Jeremy Ramp
Rebeccah Sanders
Jamie Ullinger
Lauren Voiter
|
Summer 1999:
Three
students from the Fall 1998 "Human Osteology" and "Directed Research in
Biological Anthropology" courses traveled to Jerusalem to continue projects
begun in class. Three theology graduate students likewise continued working
with the project -- two completed an analysis of the material culture found
commingled with the human remains and prepared a manuscript for publication,
the other began the outline for this website. An archaeology graduate student
from the University of Tennessee completed an analysis of the faunal material
commingled with the human remains.
 |
Richard Bautch
William Brennan
Kelley Coblentz Bautch
Alison French
Angela Kim
Justin Lev-Tov
Jeremy Ramp
Rebeccah Sanders
Danielle Steene
Jamie Ullinger
|
Fall 1999:
Sheridan's
"Human Osteology" course conducted research on aspects of pilgrimage, childhood
age estimation, diet, and burial customs. Two groups looked at non-metric
traits of the cranium and post-cranium, to be later synthesized with the
data on dental non-metric traits. One group studied dental pathologies
such as carious lesions, abcesses, etc in a reconstruction of oral health
and dietary practices. Another group synthesized multiple methods
of childhood age estimation to be used on the data collected on the subadult
segment of the community. And, one group surveyed Byzantine burial
practices for comparison to the depositional context of the St. Stephen's
collection.
 |
|
Marie Cable
Kerry DesMaris
Megan Glah
Dennis Haraszko
Elaine Hernandez
Kelly Jordan
Nathaniel Marx
Amador Minjares
Amy Saks
Jennifer Turner
Katy Vosswinkel
Kirstin Yost
|