forensic anthropology a very brief overview

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FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGYA Very Brief Overview

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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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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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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


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Age at Death


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Odontology – Forensic Dentistry

Teeth also studied

Deciduous –vs- Permanent

Forensic Dentistry• At the scene of the crime, odontologists collect the skull or

remaining teeth, which are taken back to the forensic laboratory for the postmortem dental investigation. X-rays are taken and if the jaw is completely intact and the dental

records used to compare are recent, the job of proving a match is a relatively simple one. Dentists mark on a chart the position of missing teeth, crowns, bridges, fillings, caps, root canals and various other treatments during a patient's routine check-

up. The task of identifying a victim is made more difficult when the dentist records and x-rays are out of date or when the skull is severely damaged and has parts missing. CHE 113 22

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Age at Death


Use of Forensic DentistryForensic odontologists or in other words, forensic dentists,

have the job of examining dental evidence that is left behind after a crime has been committed. Teeth are an excellent source of identification, as they hard wearing and durable. With the ability to survive fires that destroy evidence, burn human bones to ashes and melt copper and glass, teeth are able to withstand criminal's attempts to hide the crimes they've committed and the evidence held within the crime scene and dental analysis provides a cost efficient alternative to solving a crime.

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Ted Bundy’s Teeth

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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.


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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.


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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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Aircraft’s path prior to crash & location of crash

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NTSB determination of cause = pilot error

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Document remains present

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X-ray all remains/Possible remains

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Personal effects and identification

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Identification “by exclusion”

Osteoarthritis

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Sorting out commingling

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Other Types of Evidence

Wreckage fragments

Wreckage in situ

Race Determination Activity

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forensic anthropology a very brief overview

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