Early Medical Practices in the Neolithic Period Research Proposal

Early Medical Practices in the Neolithic Period - Research Proposal Example The objectives are to conduct a visual survey and then a targeted analysis looking for narcotic or other chemical traces, and to interpret the remains holistically including any new evidence found. Literature review There is a very extensive literature on the burial practices of Neolithic peoples, (Thomas, 1999) and indeed excavations of burial sites, especially in Egypt but also across Europe and in the Americas provide the largest sources of human bone material for analysis. The form of deposition human remains is, however, not without its problems because the bones are subjected to various processes ranging from burning, to de-fleshing, selected preservation of only parts of the body, and mummification. Various kinds of positioning in different types of ground leave traces on the bones which add layers of complication to scientific analysis. Incomplete samples survive, with uneven distribution due to geological rather than historical variation, which makes it difficult to form a c omplete picture. There are some Neolithic bone samples which show evidence of healing, but it is not certain that this is a result of medical intervention. The large number of trephined skulls found in Europe in Neolithic deposits, and somewhat later also in Peru, is however, incontrovertible evidence of medical activity (Ackerknecht, 1968, p. 8). McKenzie (1936, p. 895) theorizes that the purpose of scraping a hole in the skull was to cure giddiness or epilepsy but it is unclear what evidence can be drawn to point to this conclusion, other than that no trauma is evident in the bones, which could otherwise explain the hole. The Peruvian examples do show evidence of... This study is a great example of an investigation into Neolithic Doctoring practices via visual and chemical analysis. The Neolithic period from between 4000 and 2000 BC is widely recognised as being pivotal in human history because it marks the time when large populations of people shifted from a nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a more settled existence dependent on agriculture as a major food source. Evidence for this has been gathered from several centuries of work in the field of archaeology. Often, however, the human artifacts do not provide complete answers to exploratory research questions, and so holistic techniques from the field of anthropology can be used to make sense of supplement sparse findings. The aim of the study is to explore the evidence in Neolithic skeletal remains in order to illuminate medical practices of this period. The majority of the material available from the Neolithic period consists of skeletal remains, and some work has been done on dental evidence and diet (Lubell et al., 1994). A combination of thorough visual examination and modern GC-MS testing of the bone material for chemical elements offers a new angle on medical practices because it will reveal both healing processes at work, and any potential use of medicinal narcotics. These testing techniques have been used on organic residues of 958 British prehistoric pots to trace dairy material and a similar method applied to Neolithic bone may bring to light significant information on medical practices of that time.

Assessments and children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assessments and children - Essay Example Teachers in early childhood education should be very committed, as children require extra care and the teacher should be very attentive to ensure that the children really understand what they have learnt in class. Additionally, the teacher should be ready to communicate as he or she has to inform parents about the progress of their children, has to communicate with children to ensure that they understand, and has to report to the school management (Childcare Education Institute Para. 1-7). Teachers use several tools to assess the progress of the pupils and one assessing tool used is a review and reflection tool. This tool assesses and reflects on the progress the knowledge that children have acquired in class and enables the teacher to come with strategies to handle each child. The advantage of this assessment tool is that it makes children to be keen on the things learnt in class and promotes the relationship between the teacher and the child. Additionally, there are high expectations of children understanding the lessons learnt in class through reflections (Flottman, Stewart, and Collette 6-12). In conclusion, early childhood education has been vital in molding children about life and the teachers in early childhood education should be committed and use the right tools to ensure that children understand things learnt in class. Flottman Rachel, Stewart Lucinda and Collette Tayler. Practice Principle 7: Assessment for Learning and Development. 2011. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.