Unearthing people's bones from hundreds of years ago can be 'quite hard emotionally'

Glenn Gibney with some of the bones collected from a site near Dublin. 'It’s good to bring these stories to life.' Photo: Moya Nolan

Unearthing the fossilised remains of a woman cradling a baby or of a woman who died while pregnant sticks in the memory of Glenn Gibney. It acts as a reminder to the osteoarchaeologist that while studying bones can be a fascinating occupation - unlocking secrets that date back centuries - it is not without its emotions.

“I visited a site where we did a reconstructive illustration of an adult female and an infant found in the crease of the arm," said the UCC graduate. "Based on the positioning it looked like the infant had been cradled by the adult. They had both died around the same time. We did a demonstration to show how they would have been placed in the grave and what they might have looked like. It’s good to bring these stories to life.”