Final answer:
The study of skeletons can provide valuable insights into historical and cultural contexts, challenge existing assumptions, and give empirical evidence on past populations when written records are limited.
Step-by-step explanation:
The investigation of skeletal material offers a unique viewpoint on historical events and cultural practices. Consider a case study where a skeleton is discovered in an abandoned house. This form of evidence can be analyzed to give insights into the individual's life and the historical context. For example, the presence of clothing indicated by buttons underneath a collarbone or clustered coins that suggest they were held in a purse can hint at burial practices and social customs surrounding death.
Further expanding our understanding, the study of skeletons has led to groundbreaking revelations, such as the discovery of a teenage hunter's grave in the Andes which challenged gender role assumptions, or the unearthing of Homo naledi's remains that added to our knowledge of human evolution. The case of Lucy, an early hominin discovered in Ethiopia, provides another poignant example of how these finds can reshape our understanding of human ancestry.