Hua Zhang

This ongoing research studies the health status and disease patterns of ancient populations from Neolithic to Han Dynasty in Northern China, understanding interactions and adaptations of early humans to cultures and environments. Using standard criteria commonly used by Western scholars, this project systematically studies over 1000 human skeletal remains excavated from 12 pre-historical and historical archaeological sites within China. Their diverse cultures and environments allow for investigating differential effects of culture, genetics, and environment on health status by examining stress markers, disease frequencies, and other aspects of life history. This project collaborates with Chinese bioarchaeologists and promotes the use of standard methods and criteria for bioarchaeological research in China.