Biography
Giuseppe Castelli gained his BA and MA in Archaeology at the University of Palermo. These were followed by a MSc in Bioarchaeology, Paleopathology and Forensic Anthropology at the University of Bologna and a PhD in Biological Anthropology at the University of Cambridge which is currently funded by NERC C-CLEAR DTP and focuses on the evolution of the masticatory system in the African fossil record using synchrotron X-ray microtomography. After his postgraduate studies, Giuseppe worked as a researcher and laboratory assistant for universities and museums in Italy and United Kingdom, and led numerous excavations by working as a project manager for archaeological companies. Most of these roles involved field and laboratory work with a special focus on Micro-CT and surface scanning, 3D imaging, 3D printing, geometric morphometrics, osteological profiling, archaeological recording and reporting. Within this framework, Giuseppe uses comparative and experimental methods aimed at investigating biological profile and variation of traits in hominins.
Research
Giuseppe has always had a sense of motivation for biological anthropology, as well as the desire to explore and untangle human life-histories and origins. His research interests lie in the assessment of anatomical structures and their morphology in relation to function, with a special focus on the observation of micron-level details through synchrotron tomography and micro-CT. The overall aim of his research is to answer specific questions as to how and why bone and teeth shape changes over the course of human evolution based on physiological and environmental factors, as well as to understand the mechanisms regulating teeth and bone formation.
Key Publications
Castelli G., 2020. Archaeological Evaluation at Milton Keynes Western Expansion Area SP 80920 37100. South Midlands Archaeology, 50, pp. 48-49. https://cbasm.archaeologyuk.org/index_htm_files/SMA%202020.pdf
Castelli G., Connors O., 2019. Archaeological Field Evaluation on behalf of MTX Contracts Ltd concerning East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre University Hospital Leicester (Leicester Royal Infirmary) Jarrom Street Leicester. https://doi.org/10.5284/1055916
Castelli G., 2017. Biological profile and morphometric analysis of prehistoric human skeletal remains from Eastern Alps. Laboratory of Geology and Prehistory, MUSE – Museum of Sciences (TN).
Castelli G., 2015. Antropologia Fisica e tecnologie digitali. EAI, Edizione Accademiche Italiane.
https://www.amazon.it/Antropologia-fisica-tecnologie-digitali-antropologica/dp/363977406X
Teaching and Supervisions
Giuseppe’s teaching experience relates especially to university practical classes and laboratory training. Over the course of his career Giuseppe has often had the opportunity to teach students archaeological and osteological methods including stratigraphic recording, age-at-death, stature and sex estimation, identification of musculoskeletal stress and pathological marks in human skeletal remains. The laboratory training sessions involved teaching of various scanning and segmentation techniques, as well as quantitative and qualitative analysis of archaeological artefacts and skeletal elements.
Other Professional Activities
Fieldwork, Archaeological and Specialist reporting, Post-Excavation Assessment.
