Brenna Hassett Archaeology, Human Origins and Bioarchaeology Editor Science.Report

Brenna Hassett is Science Report’s archaeology, human origins and bioarchaeology editor, covering ancient health, burial practices, archaeological methods and evidence from past populations.

Brenna Hassett

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Editor

Archaeology, Human Origins and Bioarchaeology Editor

Brenna.Hassett@science.report

Brenna Hassett is an archaeology and bioarchaeology editor covering human origins, ancient health, burial practices and the scientific methods used to study past populations. She focuses on what bones, teeth, artifacts and environmental evidence can reveal and where interpretation remains uncertain.

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Education

University of York
 Brenna Hassett graduated from the University of York, where she studied archaeology with a focus on human remains, material evidence and the biological history of past populations. She later worked with a university osteology laboratory, a regional archaeological field unit and a cultural heritage research organisation, contributing to the study of burial contexts, skeletal evidence and ancient patterns of health and mobility. At Science Report, she writes and edits coverage of human origins, bioarchaeology, ancient diet, migration, archaeological dating, burial practices and major discoveries from early human societies. Her approach is method-led and cautious, separating direct observations from conclusions drawn through isotope analysis, radiocarbon dating, stratigraphy and comparison. She also pays close attention to the ethical treatment of human remains, cultural repatriation and the social conditions that shaped health and inequality in the past. 

Topics

  • Bioarchaeology The study of human remains from archaeological contexts to understand health, diet, development and life in past populations.
  • Human Evolution The scientific study of human origins, biological development, adaptation and the emergence of Homo sapiens.
  • Archaeological Science

Latest articles by Brenna Hassett

New Survey Targets Central Grunwald Battlefield for Medieval Evidence

Archaeologists and metal detectorists are conducting a targeted survey at the Grunwald battlefield in Poland, aiming to clarify the distribution of medieval artifacts and better understand the events of the 1410 conflict through systematic fieldwork

Abandoned Medieval Settlement Excavated on Halberstadt's Outskirts

Archaeologists in Saxony-Anhalt have uncovered the remains of a deserted medieval settlement, revealing sunken buildings, wells, and a complex ditch system, but remarkably few artifacts, suggesting an organized abandonment

Ancient Greek Rings Reveal Use of Meteorite Iron in Elite Burials

Analysis of Bronze and Early Iron Age rings from Greece shows that some were crafted from meteoritic iron, suggesting the rare metal was valued by Minoan and Mycenaean elites long before iron smelting became common

Limestone Stela Reveals Maya Queen's Power in 7th-Century Guatemala

Archaeologists have reconstructed a monumental limestone stela from El Perú-Waka' in Guatemala, depicting Lady K'abel, a Maya ruler, and revealing new evidence about her political and military authority at the end of the seventh century CE

4,000-Year-Old Clay Tablet With Geometric Markings Found Near Lake Garda

Archaeologists working at Lucone di Polpenazze in northern Italy have uncovered a 4,000-year-old clay tablet inscribed with geometric patterns, deepening questions about the function and meaning of these enigmatic Bronze Age artifacts

Iron Shield Boss With Cremated Remains Found in Polish Scrap Yard

A corroded iron shield boss containing cremated human bone was recovered from a scrap yard in eastern Poland, offering rare evidence of a disturbed 2nd-century CE Przeworsk culture burial and highlighting the challenges of reconstructing lost archaeological contexts

Bronze Age Foals Buried Beside Ancient Mound in Germany

Archaeologists in Saxony-Anhalt have uncovered two young horse skeletons intentionally buried near a Late Bronze Age burial mound, offering rare evidence for the ritual deposition of valuable animals over 3,000 years ago

Medieval Chamber Tomb in Russia Reveals Elite Burial with Horse and Dog

Archaeologists excavating at Gnezdilovo near Suzdal have uncovered a rare 10th-century wooden chamber tomb containing the remains of a high-status individual, a horse, and a dog, offering new evidence for early medieval funerary practices in the region

5,500-Year-Old Megalithic Tomb Excavated in Western Poland

Archaeologists have begun targeted excavations of a large earthen mound near Wyrzecz, western Poland, revealing evidence for a monumental tomb built by early farming communities over five millennia ago using megalithic construction techniques

6,500-Year-Old Chleby Enclosure May Have Tracked Sun and Moon

Archaeologists have analyzed a vast Neolithic enclosure near Chleby, Czech Republic, revealing evidence that its entrances and features may have been aligned to solar and lunar cycles over 1,000 years before Stonehenge

Pre-Inca Metalwork in Peru Linked to Bolivian Ore by Isotope Analysis

Archaeologists have traced metallurgical waste from a Wari-period burial at Castillo de Huarmey in Peru to ore sources in present-day Bolivia, revealing long-distance movement of metal and technological knowledge across the Andes

Bear Claws in Early Medieval Burials Reveal Social Hierarchy in Baltic

Archaeologists have identified brown bear claws in cremation burials from the sixth and seventh centuries CE on the Kaliningrad Peninsula, offering new evidence for social status and ritual practices among the Aestii population

Ice Age Turtle Figurines Suggest Ritual Activity in Northwestern Türkiye

Archaeologists have uncovered 25 limestone turtle figurines at İn Cave in Bilecik Province, Türkiye, dating to 14,500-11,200 BCE, offering rare evidence for symbolic or ritual practices among Epipalaeolithic hunter-gatherers

Roman-Era Cave in Spain Yields Over 120 Latin Inscriptions

Archaeologists have recorded more than 120 Latin inscriptions in Cova de les Dones, a cave sanctuary near Valencia, Spain, revealing evidence of a Roman-period cult focused on a mysterious goddess known as 'the Lady.'

1,400-Year-Old Skeleton in Lima Water Channel May Indicate Ritual Burial

Archaeologists have uncovered a human skeleton in an underground water channel at Huaca Pucllana, Lima, Peru, dating to around 650 CE. The find may shed light on pre-Inca ritual practices and the use of water features in ceremonial contexts.