1. FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
The Tales that Bones Tell

2. Forensic Anthropology
Defined as the analysis of skeletal remains within a legal investigation
Physical Anthropologist = osteologist
Training= BS physical anthropology
MS osteology

3. First Three Questions:
Are the remains actually bone?
macroscopic and microscopic study
Are the remains Human?
appearance and DNA if available
Are the Remains Ancient or Modern?
look for clothing, historic remains, teeth
If human, then proceed to identify the remains
Pg 29 Flesh and Bone Read pp XV also

4. Biological Identity (who was it?)
Age
Sex
Previous Injuries
Cause of Death
Race
Stature/Weight

5. Approximate Age?

6. Child 4 years old
The cranium is much larger in relation to the face and mandible at this stage. This is because the brain develops quite rapidly relative to dentition. The mandible and maxilla become larger as permanent molars begin to erupt.

7. Age Progression in Skulls

8. Fusing of Skull Appearance of sutures can give approximate age
In infants there are large gaps which close slowly over time
There is a particular sequence beginning from the inside of the skull and finishes by age 30

9. 4 year old Vertebra

10. 30 Year old Vertebra

11. 71 Year Old Vertebra

12. Fusing of Epiphyses

13. Epiphyseal Fusion Most useful for the first 25 years
Head of Femur 19 – 20 years
Part of hip 24 years
Female bones are usually 1-2 years ahead of males in development

14. Conclusion: Bone Density - drops after 40
Osteoarthritis- different from other forms that are not age related
Pelvic Joint Morphology- ridge detail wears out over time
Cranial Sutures
Dental Changes

15. Determination of Sex After Puberty accuracy is well over 90%
Skull and Pelvis are the most sexually dimorphic skeletal areas

16. Looking at the Skull

17. Pelvic Bones

18. Reason for Wide Pelvis

19. Previous Injuries or Disease
- broken bones(bony scar or callus)
- rickets
- arthritis
- congenital anomaly

20. Cause of Death Radial Fracture on Skull
Hammer matched to site of Trauma

21. Population Ancestry Homo sapiens is a single species
There are no absolute physical or genetic reproductive barriers
That said there are some generalizations about “race”

22. Races
Facial Bones considered to be the only relatively accurate indicators: Nasal cavity, eye socket, jaw
Mistakes easily made especially with the melding of races
Caucasoid, Mongoloid, Negroid

23. Estimation of Stature Intact Corpse – easy
Dismembered – must be based on long bones of the corpses
Trotter Method – mathematical regression formula based on the Terry collection and hundreds of servicemen from WW II and the Korean War.
Regression formula is a set of values that are calculate using measurements of the skeleton.

24. Estimating Stature
White Male 2.38(femur) = stature +/ (tibia) = stature +/- 3.37
Black Male 2.11(femur) = stature +/ (tibia) = stature +/- 3.78

25. Example: 46 cm femur : (46)(2.38) + 61.41 = 170.9 cm ( +/- 3.27)
In Feet and Inches ?
67.3 inches which is 5’7”

26. Rohrer Body – Build Index (to estimate the weight of a person)
Compares mass and bone and height
Bone is ~15% of total body mass
Approximations

27. Uses of Forensic Anthropology
There are approximately 5,000 unidentified bodies discovered each year
Mass Disasters
Value Jet Crash in Everglades
TWA Explosion
World Trade Center Disaster

28. Forensic Odontology Training - DDS (dentist)
- Usually a one year course specific to forensics