Katie Tucker

Dr. Katie Tucker is a Visiting Research Fellow in Osteoarchaeology at the University of Winchester's School of Humanities. Her career spans over two decades of fieldwork and academic contributions in human osteology and mortuary archaeology. She holds a PhD from the University of Winchester (2012), following an MSc in Human Osteology and Palaeopathology (University of Bradford) and a BA in Archaeology (University of Bristol).

• Key roles: Human Osteologist at York Archaeological Trust (2003–2007), Lead Archaeologist for the Search for Alfred the Great Project, and Principal Investigator for Ethiopia's SolZag Project.
• Teaching: Contributes to undergraduate and postgraduate modules in Human Bioarchaeology at the University of Winchester.

Her research focuses on decapitation practices in Roman Britain, leprosy in medieval contexts, and the osteology of non-normative burials. Current projects include Ethiopia's medieval burial caves and Jordan's Neolithic commingled remains. She has published extensively on skeletal trauma, paleopathology, and historical epidemiology.

Publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches, such as genomic studies of medieval leprosy (Science, 2013) and osteological analyses of burial practices (International Journal of Paleopathology, 2012). Her work bridges archaeology with modern genetics, emphasizing disease transmission and cultural rituals.

Dr. Tucker collaborates globally, including with SOAS (UK), Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, and Transylvania Bioarchaeology. She prioritizes training local researchers in Ethiopia and advocates for inclusive archaeological practices.