FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY WHAT IS IT? WHAT DOES A FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGIST DO? HOW DOES ONE BECOME A...
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Transcript of FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY WHAT IS IT? WHAT DOES A FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGIST DO? HOW DOES ONE BECOME A...
FORENSIC FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGYANTHROPOLOGY
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT DOES A FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGIST DO?
HOW DOES ONE BECOME A FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGIST?
Forensic AnthropologyForensic Anthropology
Defined as “the field of study that deals with the analysis of humanskeletal remains resulting from unexplained deaths.”
Often done in a legal context
An applied science
ANTHROPOLOGYANTHROPOLOGY
Study of humans – holistic view
5 subdisciplines:
1. Biological, or physical anthropology
2. Archaeology
3. Cultural anthropology
4. Linguistics
5. Applied anthropology
What do forensic What do forensic anthropologists do?anthropologists do?
CONSULTING: PART-TIME
MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE: FULL-TIME
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Consulting CasesConsulting Cases
Goal: Biological Profile
Includes:1. General Description2. Sex of decedent3. Age of decedent4. Ancestry of decedent5. Stature of decedent6. Assessment of trauma (ante-, peri-, post mortem)7. Pathologies noted
Osteology: study of skeletal remainsOsteology: study of skeletal remains
Each bone studied INDIVIDUALLY
Frontal
Parietal
Maxilla
OsteologyOsteology
Human bone –vs- Animal bone
Macroscopic differences
Microscopic differences
Macroscopic differences
Baboon femur Human femur
Greater Trocanter
Lesser Trocanter
Head
Medail and Lateral epicondyles
(patellar side)
This is a microphoto is human bone use to id human remains from other mammals. The round features are secondary osteons photographed using polarizing light.
Microscopic differences
Microscopic differencesMicroscopic differences
Dinosaur bone thin section
Human bone thin section
OsteologyOsteology
Parts of bone important to know
Ridges
Projections
Grooves
Openings (foramina)
OsteologyOsteology
Teeth also studied
Deciduous –vs- Permanent
OsteologyOsteology
Radiographs
Information derived from Information derived from skeletal remainsskeletal remains
SEX of decedent
Hip bone
Skull
Sciatic notchPubic face
Pelvic Girdle – Male vs. Female
Female
Male
(Fibrocartilage)
Determining Age At Death
Infant Skull or Not?
Teeth
Have deciduous teeth fallen out?Have wisdom teeth erupted?
EpiphysesEpiphyses
Fused = adult
An epiphysis is a region of bone growth found at the ends of bone shafts.
These regions are not fused to the rest of the bone shaft during the ages of grwoth.
Once growth has ceased, they fuse with the shaft. Usually after the age of 17.
Unfused epiphyseal plate = juvenile (under age 17)
Fused EpiphysisFused Epiphysis
Older Even Older
Determining AncestryDetermining Ancestry
More info from skeletal remainsMore info from skeletal remains
ANCESTRY of decedent
Difficult determination to make
Facial bones most important
Nasal aperture
TeethInterorbital space
Mandible
Mongoloid/Asian Skull
Caucasian/European Skull
Negroid/African Skull
Aboriginal/Australian Skull
Determining StatureDetermining Stature
Stature estimateStature estimate
Measure long bone(s) available
Plug in value to a formula
Range established for stature of decedent
5’ 2” – 5’ 5”
Determining Cause of Death or Determining Cause of Death or Other InjuriesOther Injuries
Other info…Other info…
TRAUMA and PATHOLOGIES
Antemortem – before death
Postmortem – after death
Perimortem – at death or around time of death
Perimortem InjuriesPerimortem Injuries
Injury occurred at or around the time of death and may have even caused the death
Iron age period male with perimortem sword wound to the skull.
Antemortem Injuries
Injuries that occurred during the decedent's lifetime – they appear healed.
Antemortem Injuries
Postmortem Changes
The Inca Battlefield Mystery
• www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/inca/grav-nf.html
Rediscovering Pompeiani
• Giuseppe Fiorelli took charge of the excavations in 1860. During early excavations of the site, occasional voids in the ash layer had been found that contained human remains.
• It was Fiorelli who realized these were spaces left by the decomposed bodies and so devised the technique of injecting plaster into them to perfectly recreate the forms of Vesuvius's victims.
• What resulted were highly accurate and eerie forms of the doomed Pompeiani who failed to escape, in their last moment of life, with the expression of terror often quite clearly visible.
• This technique is still in use today, with resin now used instead of plaster because it is more durable.
THE END