Bioarchaeological Sciences Consulting
Bioarchaeology · Isotope Analysis · FTIR/Raman · Skeletal Analysis
Integrating skeletal biology, laboratory science, and community-engaged approaches to illuminate inequality, identity, and culture from the human past.
About
Anzellini Consulting offers specialized bioarchaeological and archaeological science services, integrating skeletal analysis, laboratory methods, and community-engaged, decolonizing frameworks to address questions of inequality, power, and cultural identity in past populations.
Led by Armando Anzellini, Ph.D., RPA — with over 11 years of field, laboratory, and teaching experience across South America and North America — the practice serves academic researchers, cultural resource management firms, museums, and governmental bodies requiring expert bioarchaeological analysis and reporting.
Current research populations include the Chachapoya of northern Peru (Diablo Wasi necropolis), coastal Ecuadorian societies (Manteño, Jama-Coaque, Valdivia, Las Vegas), and the medieval Székely of Transylvania.
Request a ConsultationWhat We Offer
Rigorous laboratory analysis and expert reporting for archaeological collections, CRM projects, and academic research.
ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy
Bone diagenesis assessment, crystallinity indices, carbonate-to-phosphate ratios, and preservation quality control for isotope and DNA studies.
Raman Spectroscopy
Mineral phase identification, diagenesis characterization, and quality control reporting. Analysis and interpretation using R with reproducible workflows.
Stable Isotope Analysis
Carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope analysis of bone collagen and mineral. Diet, mobility, and climate reconstruction from archaeological populations.
Skeletal & Bioarchaeological Analysis
Osteological assessment, pathology identification, age and sex estimation, trauma analysis, and commingled/mummified assemblage methods.
Technical Reporting
Peer-review-ready laboratory reports, CRM bioarchaeological reports, NAGPRA documentation, and data interpretation for agency and academic submissions.
Field & CRM Consulting
On-site bioarchaeological consultation, excavation supervision for human remains, field methodology for commingled and fragmentary assemblages.
Vertical cliff necropolis investigation examining stature as a socioeconomic proxy, cranial trauma at Kuelap, and methods for commingled/mummified assemblages. 4+ publications; NSF proposal in development.
SAA H. & T. King Grant proposal for the Puerto Cabuyal region, investigating cultural identity and frontier interaction between Manteño and Jama-Coaque traditions (~A.D. 700). Collaboration with USFQ and INPC.
Analysis of fragmentary burials from the Las Vegas culture (coastal Ecuador), including flexed interments from the same feature, integrating isotope and spectroscopic data with mortuary context.
Secondary comparative population for studying mortuary practices, skeletal markers of inequality, and long-term social change. Provides a cross-cultural framework for Andean research questions.
Laboratory Expertise
Attenuated total reflectance FTIR and Raman spectroscopy applied to archaeological bone for diagenesis assessment. Crystallinity index (CI), carbonate substitution (C/P), and amide ratios. Data processed and visualized in R with reproducible, publication-ready outputs. Workshop instructor, University of Tennessee.
Carbon (δ¹³C), nitrogen (δ¹⁵N), and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) stable isotope analysis from bone collagen and bioapatite. Diet reconstruction, paleomobility, breastfeeding and weaning studies, and paleoclimate proxies from archaeological populations across South America.
Integration of airborne and terrestrial LiDAR datasets for site detection, landscape analysis, and feature mapping in complex Andean and coastal Ecuadorian environments. Applied alongside traditional field survey and excavation methodology.
Specialized methods for the excavation, documentation, and analysis of commingled and mummified skeletal remains. Contributing author to a forthcoming methods volume (Osterholtz & Sheridan, eds.) focused on best practices for complex mortuary contexts.
Get in Touch
Whether you need laboratory analysis, a technical report, or field consultation — reach out to discuss your project.
Direct Contact