archaeologists excavated the rubble of an ancient hospital in England.

考古學家挖開了英國一間古老醫院的磚瓦堆

In the process, they uncovered a number of skeletons.

過程中，他們發現了幾具骨骸

One in particular belonged to a wealthy male

一具是屬於一位富有的男性

who lived in the 11th or 12th century

生於11或12世紀

and died of leprosy between the ages of 18 and 25.

在18到25歲間死於麻瘋病

How do we know all this?

我們是怎麼知道這些的呢?

Simply by examining some old, soil-caked bones?

單純靠檢驗一些古老又腐爛成泥的骨頭嗎?

Even centuries after death,

就算死了好幾世紀

skeletons carry unique features that tell us about their identities.

骨骸仍記載了可以告訴我們身分的獨特特徵

And using modern tools and techniques, we can read those features as clues.

藉由運用現代的工具和技術，我們可以將那些特徵視為線索

This is a branch of science known as biological anthropology.

這個科學分支就是生物人類學

It allows researchers to piece together details about ancient individuals

這讓研究者可以知道影響整個人口的古老個體，

and identify historical events that affected whole populations.

以及用於鑑定的歷史事件等細節拼湊在一起

When researchers uncover a skeleton,

當研究者發現一具骨骸

some of the first clues they gather, like age and gender,

有些首要的線索便可以組合在一起，像是年齡和性別

lie in its morphology,

藉由它的型態

which is the structure, appearance, and size of a skeleton.

像結構、外觀和骨頭的尺寸

Bones, like the clavicle, stop growing at age 25,

像是鎖骨在25歲時就會停止生長

so a skeleton with a clavicle that hasn't fully formed

所以如果有個鎖骨還未完全長成

must be younger than that.

那一定比25歲還年輕

Similarly, the plates in the cranium can continue fusing up to age 40,

同樣地，頭蓋骨會持續接合起來直到40歲

and sometimes beyond.

有時更晚

By combining these with some microscopic skeletal clues,

結合這些骨頭上微小的線索

physical anthropologists can estimate an approximate age of death.

物理人類學家就可以推算出大概的死亡年齡

Meanwhile, pelvic bones reveal gender.

同時，骨盆會透露出性別

Biologically, female pelvises are wider, allowing women to give birth,

在生物學上，為了生產，女性的骨盆較寬

where as males are narrower.

而男性的則比較窄

Bones also betray the signs of ancient disease.

骨頭也會透露出古代當時的疾病

Disorders like anemia leave their traces on the bones.

像是貧血症在骨頭上會有痕跡

And the condition of teeth can reveal clues

牙齒的狀況也會透露線索

to factors like diet and malnutrition,

像是日常的飲食和營養失調

which sometimes correlate with wealth or poverty.

這些有時跟貧富貴賤都有相關連

A protein called collagen can give us even more profound details.

稱為膠原的蛋白質可以給我們更多詳盡的細節

The air we breathe,

我們吸的空氣，

water we drink,

喝的水

and food we eat

以及吃的食物

leaves permanent traces in our bones and teeth

裡面的化學混合物會在我們的骨頭和牙齒上留下永久的痕跡

in the form of chemical compounds.

裡面的化學混合物會在我們的骨頭和牙齒上留下永久的痕跡

These compounds contain measurable quantities called isotopes.

這些混合物包括可測量到的同位素

Stable isotopes in bone collagen and tooth enamel varies among mammals

在哺乳類動物的骨頭膠原質及牙齒琺琅質中的同位素

depended on where they lived and what they ate.

會根據他們的居住環境和攝取的食物而有所不同

So by analyzing these isotopes,

所以藉由分析這些同位素

we can draw direct inferences regarding the diet and location of historic people.

我們可以直接推斷出古時人們的日常飲食和位置

Not only that, but during life,

不只飲食和位置，還包括生活期間

bones undergo a constant cycle of remodeling.

骨頭會經歷不斷代謝重生的循環

So if someone moves from one place to another,

所以如果某人移居到別的地方

bones synthesized after that move

移居後，骨頭會合成

will also reflect the new isotopic signatures of the surrounding environment.

反映出受到周圍環境所影響的新同位素

That means that skeletons can be used like migratory maps.

那表示骨頭就像是一張遷徙地圖

For instance, between 1-650 AD,

例如，西元1到650年

the great city of Teotihuacan in Mexico bustled with thousands of people.

墨西哥的眾神之城 Teotihuacan，有上千個人口活躍其中

Researchers examined the isotope ratios in skeletons' tooth enamel,

學者檢驗他們牙齒琺琅質中的同位素比例

which held details of their diets when they were young.

那當中透露人們年輕時的飲食細節

They found evidence for significant migration into the city.

他們發現了大量移居進城市的證據

A majority of the individuals were born elsewhere.

大部分的人都是在別的地方出生

With further geological and skeletal analysis,

藉由更多的地質以及骨骸分析

they may be able to map where those people came from.

他們或許還可以畫出那些人們從哪裡遷徙來的地圖

That work in Teotihuacan is also an example of how bio-anthropologists

人們在眾神之城的工作項目也提供生物人類學家

study skeletons in cemeteries and mass graves,

研究墓地和亂葬崗中的骨骸範例

then analyze their similarities and differences.

他們可以分析骨頭的相似和相異處

From that information, they can learn about cultural beliefs,

他們可以從那些資訊當中了解文化信仰，

social norms,

社交活動

wars,

戰爭

and what caused their deaths.

以及人的死因

Today, we use these tools to answer big questions about how forces,

今天，我們運用這些工具去解釋一些重要的問題

like migration and disease,

像是遷徙及疾病等外力

shape the modern world.

如何形塑現代的社會

DNA analysis is even possible in some relatively well-preserved ancient remains.

DNA分析也可能用在相對保存良好的古代遺骸

That's helping us understand how diseases like tuberculosis

那可以幫助我們了解像是肺結核這類的疾病

have evolved over the centuries

在超過好幾世紀的時間中是如何變化的

so we can build better treatments for people today.

這樣我們就可以為現今的人們提供更好的治療

Ancient skeletons can tell us a surprisingly great deal about the past.

古代的骨骸會告訴我們一些關於過去令人驚訝的事蹟

So if your remains are someday buried intact,

所以如果你的骨骸哪一天被原封不動完整的保存了

what might archaeologists of the distant future learn from them?

在遙遠的未來，考古學家會從中學到什麼呢?