forensic anthropology a very brief overview
DESCRIPTION
CHE 113. FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY A Very Brief Overview. Thanks to help from Prof. Ann Bunch, SUNY Oswego. Forensic Anthropology Brief Overview. Defined as “the field of study that deals with the analysis of human skeletal remains resulting from unexplained deaths.” - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGYA Very Brief Overview
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Thanks to help from Prof. Ann Bunch, SUNY Oswego
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Forensic AnthropologyBrief Overview
•Defined as “the field of study that deals with the analysis of human skeletal remains resulting from unexplained deaths.”•Often done in a legal context•An applied science•Five subdisciplines:
•1. Biological, or physical anthropology •2. Archaeology•3. Cultural anthropology•4. Linguistics•5. Applied anthropology
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Forensic AnthropologyGoal: 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
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Osteology: study of skeletal remainsEach bone studied INDIVIDUALLY
206 Skeletal Bones (total)
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Osteology: study of skeletal remainsEach bone studied INDIVIDUALLY
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Osteology
Human bone –vs- Animal bone
Macroscopic differencesRadiology ObservationMeasurement
Microscopic differences
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Osteology
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Osteology
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Macroscopic differences
Baboon femur Human femur
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Microscopic differences
Spongy bone
human
mouse
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Osteology
Radiographs
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Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent
Hip bone FemurSkull
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Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent
http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html
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Information from skeletal
remains Sex of decedent
MALE OR FEMALE MALE OR FEMALE SKELETON?SKELETON?
(a) IS FEMALE and (a) IS FEMALE and (b) IS MALE(b) IS MALE
Handout
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Information from skeletal
remains Sex of decedent
MALE OR FEMALE MALE OR FEMALE SKELETON?SKELETON?
(a) IS FEMALE and (a) IS FEMALE and (b) IS MALE(b) IS MALE
Male
Female
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Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent
http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html
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What can we learn from skeletons? Age at Death
Hip bone most useful for adults
Teeth: Erupted or Not?
Estimate given as a range (30 – 35 yrs old)
Epiphyses: fused or unfused?
Pubic symphysis
Auricular surface
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Age at DeathLong Bone Development
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Age at Death
http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html
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Age at Death
http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html
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Osteology
Teeth also studied
Deciduous –vs- Permanent
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Age at Death
http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html
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Epiphyses - A part of bone separated from the main body of the bone by a layer of cartilage and
subsequently uniting with the bone through further ossification
Unfused = juvenile
Fused = adult
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Spine
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More info from skeletal remains
ANCESTRY of decedent
Difficult determination to make
Facial bones most important
Nasal aperture
TeethInterorbital space
Mandible
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Stature estimate
Measure long bone(s) available
Plug in value to formula
Range established for stature of decedent
5’ 2” – 5’ 5”
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Other information TRAUMA and PATHOLOGIES
Ante- mortem Post-mortem Peri-mortem
Gunshot
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Trauma
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Individual IdentificationPerson identified when it was found that the amalgam used in her dental restorations was of a type found only in specific areas on the Eastern Coast of the United States.
Habitual activity can wear away the protective, cartilagenous lining which reduces friction in joints. The humerus in this photograph were in contact for many years prior to this individual's death. The surfaces are smooth and shiny, indicating that the joint capsule and cartilage had worn away, allowing bone on bone contact in the cavity.
http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html
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Individual IdentificationDental implants, braces, and other types of dental work are often recovered with a body and are extremely useful in identification because they are so unique to the individual and are well detailed in antemortem radiographs and medical records.
Healed fracture on the sternal end of a midthoracic rib. The area within the red brackets is the site of injury. Note the more porous appearance of the bone in this area - this is woven bone.
http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html
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Case Study
September 1999 Tourist Aircraft Crash on the Big Island of Hawaii
From Prof. Ann BunchSUNY Oswego
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
Piper Aircraft with 9 passengers, 1 pilot
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
Aircraft’s path prior to crash & location of crash
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
NTSB determination of cause = pilot error
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
Document remains present
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
X-ray all remains/Possible remains
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
Personal effects and identification
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
Identification “by exclusion”
Osteoarthritis
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
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Big Island Aircraft Crash
Sorting out commingling
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Other Types of Evidence
Wreckage fragments
Wreckage in situ
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Federal Government Cases
Ha Tay Province, Socialist Republic of Vietnam
1995-1996 Recovery Mission
From Prof. Ann BunchSUNY Oswego
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1972 B-52 Crash Site
Christmas Bombing of Hanoi, Operation “Rolling Thunder”
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Witness interviews
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1972 B-52 Crash Site
Pond after draining
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B-52 Crash Site
Surrounding terrain
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The “Bottomless Pit”
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Progress after one field activity
Test Pit
Test Pit
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6 weeks’ progress
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6 weeks’ progress
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Recovery continues
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Focal point of recovery
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Evidence
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Final View of Excavation
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More Evidence
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More evidence
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Case Status•Remains of tail gunner identified with mtDNA•Captain’s rank insignia recovered from site = presence of second MIA?•Family of tail gunner not willing to accept ID until more solid evidence of other MIA is found/presented
Prof. Ann Bunch, SUNY Oswego
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Harper Bone/Kennedy
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
mcadams.posc.mu.edu/ harper.htm
Believed to be a parietal bone
Found the day after the assassination 25 ft. from the car path in the Plaza.
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Harper Bone/Kennedy
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
mcadams.posc.mu.edu/ harper.htm
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Believed to be a parietal bone
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Harper Bone- Kennedy
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
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Forensic Anthropology
• http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/anthropology/1.html
• http://www.forensicanthro.com/
• http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/biology/forensics/index.shtml
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Forensic Anthropology Conclusions and Summary
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
Exclusionary and identification evidenceClass and individual evidence
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