Dr. Sara C. Bisel (1932–1996) was a physical

anthropologist An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...

and classical

archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...

who played a prominent role in early scientific research at

Herculaneum Herculaneum is an ancient Rome, ancient Roman town located in the modern-day ''comune'' of Ercolano, Campania, Italy. Herculaneum was buried under a massive pyroclastic flow in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Like the nearby city of ...

, a Mediterranean coastal town destroyed by the 79 AD eruption of

Mount Vesuvius Mount Vesuvius ( ) is a Somma volcano, somma–stratovolcano located on the Gulf of Naples in Campania, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is one of several volcanoes forming the Campanian volcanic arc. Vesuv ...

. Her pioneering work in the chemical and physical analysis of skeletons yielded new insights into the nutrition and health of ancient populations. This was considered ground-breaking and helped advance the field of paleodemography.

Life and work

Born Sara Louise Clark on May 13, 1932, in

Johnstown, Pennsylvania Johnstown is the largest city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,411 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located east of Pittsburgh, it is the principal city of the Metropolitan statistical area ...

, Bisel grew up in western Pennsylvania. She graduated from

Carnegie-Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a Private university, private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The institution was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools. In 1912, it became t ...

in Pittsburgh with a bachelor's degree in nutrition and biochemistry. She married Harry Bisel, a

Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic () is a Nonprofit organization, private American Academic health science centre, academic Medical centers in the United States, medical center focused on integrated health care, healthcare, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science ...

medical oncologist, and lived in

Rochester, Minnesota Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a popul ...

from 1963. At the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

, she earned a master's degree in classical area studies, with a specialization in Greek archaeology, and a Ph.D. in physical anthropology. She was awarded a fellowship by the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...

in 1977 and conducted independent research funded by the Smithsonian Institution and the

National Geographic Society The National Geographic Society, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, natural sc ...

from 1981 to 1988. She was a visiting scientist at the Mayo Clinic, and a research associate and Fellow at the

. The author of numerous articles published in scholarly and professional journals, she taught at the University of Minnesota, the

University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the Univ ...

, and the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece. She worked on various sites throughout

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

and

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. Her work at

established her international reputation as an authority on ancient health and nutrition. She is considered a "pioneer" in the use of chemical analysis to study health in ancient populations. In 1982 she was sent to Herculaneum by the National Geographic Society to assist with the excavation, preservation and analysis of human remains recovered from the town's ancient beach front. Giuseppe Maggi, the director of the excavations, asked for international assistance in preserving the skeletons which, buried in wet volcanic soil, were degrading once exposed to air. Over 5 weeks she excavated 26 skeletons. Sara Bisel died on 4 February 1996.

Professional societies

* American Association of Physical Anthropologists * Paleopathology Association * Society for Ancient Medicine and Pharmacy * American Association for the Advancement of Science * Society of Woman Geographers * National Geographic Explorer's Club

Awards

* Outstanding Woman of Science, 1988. National Geographic Explorer's

References

* National Geographic, Vol 162, No 6. "Buried Roman Town Give Up Its Dead," (December, 1982) * National Geographic, Vol 165, No 5. "The Dead Do Tell Tales," (May, 1984) * Discover, magazine, Vol 5, No 10. "The Bone Lady" (October, 1984) * The Mayo Alumnus, Vol 19, No2. "An Archaeologist's Preliminary Report: Time Warp at Herculaneum, (April, 1983) * Carnegie Mellon Magazine, Vol 4, No 2. "''Bone Lady'' Reconstructs People at Herculaneum," Winter, 1985 * "In the Shadow of Vesuvius" National Geo Special, (February 11, 1987) * "30 years of National Geographic Special," (January 25, 1995) {{DEFAULTSORT:Bisel, Sara C. 1932 births 1996 deaths People from Johnstown, Pennsylvania University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts alumni People from Rochester, Minnesota Carnegie Mellon University alumni University of Minnesota faculty University of Maryland, College Park faculty American women archaeologists Members of the Society of Woman Geographers 20th-century American archaeologists