Profile

Biography

Malin Holst HND (Practical Archaeology), BA (Archaeology), MSc (Osteology, Palaeopathology and Funerary Archaeology) is an osteoarchaeologist who works on the excavation and analysis of human remains as well as research of funerary customs.  She is particularly interested in weapon-related trauma and has examined numerous battle-victims, including those from the battles of Heronbridge 613 and Towton 1461.

Malin is interested in burial ritual, particularly that of the Anglo-Saxon period and also multi-period sites.  She has recently been involved in a number of sites throughout Britain where cemeteries spanned up to three millennia, from the Neolithic to the high medieval period.

A further interest is the analysis of neonatal and infant remains, which often occur in Iron Age or Romano-British settlement sites, some of which Malin has recently examined.

Malin is the company director of York Osteoarchaeology Ltd ( www.yorkosteoarch.co.uk ) and carries out the excavation, analysis and reporting or publication of human skeletons from archaeological projects. 

Malin teaches the module Human Bioarchaeology for undergraduate and post-graduate courses.

Publications

Full publications list

• Holst, M. and Caffell, C. 2010. ‘York Osteoarchaeology Ltd’, in J. Appleby (eds), British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology Annual Review 2009 11: 22-24
• Holst, M. 2009. ‘The human remains’, in J. Hart and E.R. McSloy. ‘Prehistoric and early historic activity, settlement and burial at Walton Cardiff, near Tewkesbury: Excavations at Rudgeway Lane in 2004-2005, in N. Holbrook (eds), Iron Age and Romano-British Agriculture in North Gloucestershire Severn Vale, Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Report 6: 48-54
• Holst, M. And Caffell, C. 2009. ‘York Osteoarchaeology Ltd’, in J. Buckberry (eds), British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology Annual Review 2008 10: 34-35
• Holst, M. 2008. ‘Human bone: Osteological Assessment’ in M. Carver (ed) Wasperton Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/archive/wasperton_eh_2008/overview.cfm?CFID=573996andCFTOKEN=39545028
• Luke, M. with major contributions by Allen, C., Bates, S., Duncan, H., Holst, M., Macphail, R., Maltby, M., Pelling, R., Robinson, M., Slowikowski, A. and Wells, J. 2008. Life in the Loop: Investigation of a Prehistoric and Romano-British Landscape at Biddenham Loop, Bedfordshire, East Anglian Archaeology 125
• Holst, M. and Caffell, C. 2008. ‘York Osteoarchaeology Ltd’, in J. Buckberry (eds), British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology Annual Review 2007 9: 34-43
• Holst, M. 2006. ‘Human Bone Report’, Roman Occupation at the Former Starting Gate Public House, Dringhouses, York, http://www.iadb.co.uk/i2/i2_pub.php?PP=39
• Caffell, A. and Holst, M. 2006. ‘The human bone’, in M. Watts (ed), Two Cemeteries from Bristol’s Northern Suburbs, Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Report 4: 68-80
• Mays, S. and Holst, M. 2006. ‘Palaeo-otology of cholesteatoma’, International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 16: 1-15
• Holst, M and Caffell, A. 2006. ‘York Osteoarchaeology Ltd’, in J. Buckberry (eds), British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology Annual Review 2005 7: 40-41
• Sutherland, T.L. and Holst, M. 2005. Battlefield Archaeology – Guide to the Archaeology of Conflict, http://www.bajr.org/DocumentsBAJRBattleGuide.pdf
• Holst, M. 2005. Fishergate House Artefacts and Environmental Evidence: The Human Bone, http://www.archaeologicalplanningconsultancy .co.uk/mono/001/rep_bone_hum1a.html
• Holst, M. 2005. ‘Human Remains’, in I. Roberts (eds) Ferrybridge Henge. The Ritual Landscape, Archaeological Services WYAS, Yorkshire Archaeology 10 (Leeds): 167-175
• Boylston, A., Novak, S., Sutherland, T., Holst, M., Coughlan, J. and Knüsel, C. 2004. ‘Archaeology and anthropology of medieval warfare: an investigation of burials from the Battle of Towton AD 1461’, Medieval History 10: 50-57
• Holst, M. 2004. ‘Human skeletal remains excavated or analysed by Field Archaeology Specialists Ltd in 2003’, in R. Gowland (eds), British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology Annual Review 2003 5: 27-28
• Dickinson, T. 2004. ‘An early Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Quarrington, near Sleaford, Lincolnshire: Report on excavations, 2000-2001’, Lincolnshire History and Archaeology 39: 24-45, with contributions by M. Holst
• Holst, M. 2003. Health in Medieval York: New Perspectives into Medieval Health through the Analysis of further Cemetery Populations, Poster Presentation at the Fifth Annual Conference of the British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology
• Holst, M. and Coughlan, J. 2000. ‘Dental Health and Disease’, in V. Fiorato, A Boylston and C. Knüsel (eds), Blood Red Roses: The Archaeology of a Medieval Mass Grave from the Battle of Towton 1461, Oxbow Books, Oxford, 77-89
• Coughlan, J. and Holst, M. 2000. ‘Health Status’, in V. Fiorato, A Boylston and C. Knüsel (eds), Blood Red Roses: The Archaeology of a Medieval Mass Grave from the Battle of Towton 1461, Oxbow Books, Oxford, 60-76
• Boylston, A., Holst, M. and Coughlan, J. 2000., ‘Physical Anthropology’, in V. Fiorato, A Boylston and C. Knüsel (eds), Blood Red Roses: The Archaeology of a Medieval Mass Grave from the Battle of Towton 1461, Oxbow Books, Oxford, 45-59
• Holst, M. 1999. ‘Schlacht um Englands Thron’, in Archäologie in Deutschland , 1/99, 58
• Boylston, A., Holst, M., Coughlan, J., Novak, S., Sutherland, T. and Knüsel, C. 1997. ‘Recent Excavations of a Mass Grave from Towton’, in Yorkshire Medicine, 9 (3), 25-6
• Boylston, A., Novak, S., Sutherland, T., Holst, M. and Coughlan, J. 1997. ‘Burials from the Battle of Towton’, Royal Armouries Yearbook 2: 26-36

Research

Overview

Malin is currently carrying out further research on the skeletons from the Battle of Towton, including the excavation and analysis of additional battle victims.

Malin is also researching evidence for the attitude towards disabled or severely ill members in Anglo-Saxon society and the treatment they were afforded in burial.

Teaching

Undergraduate

Postgraduate

External activities

Memberships

• Member of Institute of Field Archaeologists
• Member of York Bones Forum, which coordinates research and promotes a research agenda for the study of human remains and zooarchaeological collections in York