Anna Osterholtz

Dr. Anna Osterholtz is an Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Anthropology at Mississippi State University. As a bioarchaeologist, she specializes in analyzing human remains to explore questions of identity formation, social inequality, and the biocultural dimensions of mortuary practices across diverse temporal and geographic contexts including the American Southwest, Europe, and the Middle East.

• Ph.D., Anthropology, University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Her research integrates taphonomy, trauma analysis, and theoretical frameworks to examine how communities negotiated group identity through interactions with the dead. Current projects focus on church burials in Medieval Croatia and the mortuary patterns of Roman-period sites in Osijek and Trogir, where she investigates correlations between lead poisoning and health outcomes. She also pioneers methodologies for analyzing commingled and fragmentary remains, exemplified by her development of a Claris database for efficient skeletal data entry.

Recent publications highlight her work on the genetic history of the Balkans and Southern Arc, bioarchaeological interpretations of violence, and theoretical approaches to mortuary practices. Collaborations with Croatian cultural institutions and the Ministry of Culture have enabled curation of significant skeletal collections at Mississippi State University.

Dr. Osterholtz teaches courses in biological anthropology, human osteology, and the anthropology of violence and death, emphasizing hands-on engagement with museum collections and field programs in Europe.