1. Forensic Anthropologist

2. What Forensic Anthropologist Do?
They ask:
Who is it?
What happened?  
Creat a biological Profile:
Gender
Age
Ancestry
Stature 

3. Tools of the trade Rulers & Calipers for measuring
Rulers & Calipers for measuring
Reconstructing a face with Software or Clay
X-ray machine

4. What they can find out from skulls
Determine Race by nose structure
Determine Age by skull shape and growth structures
Determine Gender by skull features
science.marshall.edu/.../Introduction+to+Forensic+Science+Lecture+8+Ant.ppt

5. What they can find out from Pelvis
Determining Gender by angles, size and shape of hipbone

6. Skeletal Age
Skeletal age can be determined by looking at the following:
-sutures of the skull
-teeth
-ribs
-vertebrae
-growth areas of the long bones: epiphyses

7. Incisors →Canines→Molars
Teeth
Incisors →Canines→Molars
Older person’s teeth:
Worn Down/Missing
Sutures of the Skull
Young child: Bones - OPEN.
Age Seven - all bones have finished growing.

8. Older - Front Part - Bony Spikes.
Ribs
Older - Front Part - Bony Spikes.
Vertebrae
Older - Bony Spikes
This starts at 40 years of age.

9. Epiphyseal Fusion
Fusion of bone ends (epiphysis) to bone shaft (metaphysis) indicates age.
Figure 1
Lines of cartilage between the bone and the epiphyses.
Lines are very clear on a person going through puberty.
Figure 2
No visible lines of cartilage
Epiphyses have fully joined
Person is out of puberty and into adulthood
Figure 1.
Figure 2. 9

10. Sources
Colorado State University: Forensic Anthropology [Internet] [accessed 2009 June 19]. Available from:
Analysis of Skeletal Remains – Worksheet [Internet] [accessed 2009 June 19]. Available from:
Kutztown University: Forensic Anthropology [Internet] [accessed 2009 June 19]. Available from:
Life After Death [Internet]. [accessed 2009 June 19]. Available from:
Epiphyseal Fusion [Internet]. [accessed 2009 June 19]. Available from: