1. CHE 113 1 FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY A Very Brief Overview CHE 113

2. CHE 113 2 Forensic Anthropology Brief 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

3. CHE 113 3 Forensic Anthropology Goal: Biological Profile Includes: 1. General Description 2. Sex of decedent 3. Age of decedent 4. Ancestry of decedent 5. Stature of decedent 6. Assessment of trauma (ante-, peri-, post mortem) 7. Pathologies noted

4. CHE 113 4 Osteology: study of skeletal remains Each bone studied INDIVIDUALLY 206 Skeletal Bones (total)

5. CHE 113 5 Osteology: study of skeletal remains Each bone studied INDIVIDUALLY

6. CHE 113 6 Osteology Human bone –vs- Animal bone Macroscopic differences Radiology Observation Measurement Microscopic differences

7. CHE 113 7 Osteology

8. CHE 113 8 Osteology

9. CHE 113 9 Macroscopic differences Baboon femurHuman femur

10. CHE 113 10 Microscopic differences Spongy bone human mouse

11. CHE 113 11 Osteology Radiographs

12. CHE 113 12 Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent Hip boneFemur Skull

13. CHE 113 13 Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

14. CHE 113 14 Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent MALE OR FEMALE SKELETON? (a) IS FEMALE and (b) IS MALE Handout

15. CHE 113 15 Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent MALE OR FEMALE SKELETON? (a) IS FEMALE and (b) IS MALE Male Female

16. CHE 113 16 Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

17. CHE 113 17 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

18. CHE 113 18 Age at Death Long Bone Development

19. CHE 113 19 Age at Death http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

20. CHE 113 20 Age at Death http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

21. CHE 113 21 Odontology – Forensic Dentistry Teeth also studied Deciduous –vs- Permanent

22. 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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24. CHE 113 24 Age at Death http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html

25. Use of Forensic Dentistry Forensic 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. CHE 113 25

26. Ted Bundy’s Teeth CHE 113 26

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28. CHE 113 28 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

29. CHE 113 29 Spine

30. CHE 113 30 More info from skeletal remains ANCESTRY of decedent Difficult determination to make Facial bones most important Nasal aperture Teeth Interorbital space Mandible

31. CHE 113 31 Stature estimate Measure long bone(s) available Plug in value to formula Range established for stature of decedent 5’ 2” – 5’ 5”

32. CHE 113 32 Other information TRAUMA and PATHOLOGIES Ante- mortem Post-mortem Peri-mortem Gunshot

33. CHE 113 33 Trauma

34. CHE 113 34 Individual Identification Person 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

35. CHE 113 35 Individual Identification Dental 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

36. CHE 113 36 Case Study September 1999 Tourist Aircraft Crash on the Big Island of Hawaii From Prof. Ann Bunch SUNY Oswego

37. CHE 113 37 Big Island Aircraft Crash Piper Aircraft with 9 passengers, 1 pilot

38. CHE 113 38 Big Island Aircraft Crash Aircraft’s path prior to crash & location of crash

39. CHE 113 39 Big Island Aircraft Crash NTSB determination of cause = pilot error

40. CHE 113 40 Big Island Aircraft Crash

41. CHE 113 41 Big Island Aircraft Crash

42. CHE 113 42 Big Island Aircraft Crash Document remains present

43. CHE 113 43 Big Island Aircraft Crash X-ray all remains/ Possible remains

44. CHE 113 44 Big Island Aircraft Crash

45. CHE 113 45 Big Island Aircraft Crash Personal effects and identification

46. CHE 113 46 Big Island Aircraft Crash Identification “by exclusion” Osteoarthritis

47. CHE 113 47 Big Island Aircraft Crash

48. CHE 113 48 Big Island Aircraft Crash Sorting out commingling

49. CHE 113 49 Other Types of Evidence Wreckage fragments Wreckage in situ

50. Race Determination Activity CHE 113 50

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