Forensic

Anthropology(F.A.)

Skeletal Remains

Forensic Anthropology(F.A.)

• A type of applied physical anthropology

that specializes in the human skeletal

system for purposes of identifying

unknown remains

• Information gathered from the skeletal

remains of an individual is the principal

source of information about an

unidentified individual

Questions can be Answered

Using Forensic Anthropology

• Are the remains animal or human?

• Are the remains male or female?

• What is the age of the victim?

Questions can be Answered

Using Forensic Anthropology

• What was the manner of death?

– Natural, accidental, homicidal, suicidal, undetermined

• What was the cause of death?

– Millions of possibilities; usually determined by injuries to the body

Forensic Anthropology

Requires Knowledge

of the Skeleton1. Skull 11. Fibula

2. Mandible 12. Tibia

3. Clavicle 13. Iliac Crest

4. Sternum 14. Os Pubis

5. Xyphoid Process

6. Humerus

7. Radius

8. Ulna

9. Os Coxae

10. Femur

Animal or Human?

• Osteology--the study of bones

• Human and animal bones have very

different structures

• When partial bones are only available,

scientists look at the osteons

– Osteons are the holes in bones that carry

blood

– In animals, they form regular patterns

– In humans, the patterns are known to be

more random

Male or Female?

• Bones in the male skeleton tend to be

larger than those of the female skeleton

• The os pubis, sacrum, and the ilium of

the pelvis are bones that have the most

obvious differences between men and

women

Male or Female?

• The ventral arc on the female pelvic bones is also more defined than that of the male pelvic bones

Male or Female?

Male or Female?

Male or Female?

MaleFemale

Age?

• Growth plates called epiphyses form together and eventually unite with age.

Age?

• Cranial sutures also form a completely

connected skull by a certain age

Age?

• Scientists use the general age for

sutures to fuse and compare that age to

how formed together these bones are

and can make a general age estimate

Race?

• Caucasoid:

– Descriptor for people of European,

Middle Eastern, and East Indian

Descent

– Characteristics:

• Long, narrow nasal aperture

• A Triangular Palate

• Oval Eye Orbits

• Narrow Zygomatic Arches

• Narrow Mandibles

Race?

Race?

• Negroid:

– A descriptor for people of African, Aborigine,

and Melanesian decent

– Characteristics:

• Wide Nasal Aperture

• A Rectangular Palate

• Square Eye Orbits

• Pronounced Zygomatic Arches

• Long bones are longer and have greater density

Race?

Race?

• Mongoloid:

– Descriptor for people of Asian, Native

American, and Polynesian descent

– Characteristics:

• Rounded nasal aperture

• Parabolic palate

• Rounded eye orbits

• Wide zygomatic arches

• Pointed mandibles

Race?

Facial Reconstruction

• Used when traditional methods of

identification are not useful

• Uses standard tissue thickness and

facial muscles to build a new face on a

skull

• The skull and skeleton gives information

about age, race, and gender

• Not totally accurate and is more of an art

form based in science

Steps in Facial Reconstruction

• Establish age,

gender, and if

possible, race

• Glue tissue markers

to landmarks directly

on the skull for tissue

thickness

Steps in Facial Reconstruction

• Mark muscle insertion points and mount markers for thickness of tissue

• Mount eyes in sockets at the proper depth

• Apply clay to the skull following the contours, using markers and muscle insertion points

• Make measurements to determine nose thickness and length and the mouth thickness and width

Steps in Facial Reconstruction

• Cover the skull with layers of skin and

add the details of the face

Facial Reconstruction