Download Forensic Anthropology

PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Forensic Anthropology
The Study of Human Remains
Forensic anthropology is the study of
human remains.
• The primary goal of a forensic anthropologist
is to determine the biological identity of an
individual (i.e. sex, age-at-death, stature, and
population affiliation).
Kyra Stull - Forensic Anthropologist
• This is a short piece about Kyra Stull. Kyra is
forensic anthropologist and runs the Forensic
Anthropology Center at Texas State. She
oversees a body farm.
Sex Determination:
• In general, males have bigger bones and larger
areas of muscle attachment than females
• The pelvic bones are the best indicators of sex
• The skull, or cranium, is the second best
indicator of sex
Age Estimation:
• The most common methods used to estimate
the age of sub-adults (individuals under the
age of 18) are bone formation and growth and
dental formation and eruption
• Among the most common methods used to
estimate the age of adults are cranial stature
closure, changes to pelvic bones, and tooth
wear
Stature Estimation:
• Stature or height is estimated by measuring
the maximum length, in centimeters, of one or
more of the six major long bones and plugging
the number into a formula
• Separate formulae have been developed for
different populations so it is important to
know the population affiliation of the
individual before doing the calculation
Population Affiliation:
• Physical anthropologists generally agree that
there is no such thing as race (i.e. it has no
biological basis); however forensic
anthropologists are often called upon to
determine the racial or population affiliation
(also referred to as “ancestry”) of an individual
from his or her skeletal remains
Positive Identification:
• A number of different methods are used to
make a positive identification from skeletal
remains
• The most common method is dental records
• Other methods include medical records, DNA,
frontal sinus patterns, and photographic
superimposition
Learning from Skeletons
• Label the diagram
of the skeleton
from the following
information
• You must
summarize the
content
Skull
• Look for the sagittal suture
– the squiggly line that runs
the length of the skull – and
note whether is it's
completely fused. If it is,
the remains are likely to be
of someone older than 35.
Look for a second line at the
front of the skull -- the
coronal suture – which fully
fuses by age 40.
Teeth
• Study the teeth. If they're
worn down it could be a
sign of a poor diet. If
they're well-maintained
and/or have good dental
work such as fillings, they
were able to afford
proper dental care—
another clue as to the
identity of your skeleton.
DNA
• DNA samples may be
taken from any
existing hair tissue. As
well as positively
identifying someone, it
may be useful in
identifying a person's
rethnicity or tribal origins
Sternum
• Examine where the ribs
join the sternum. This is
also a good indicator of
age. A forensic
anthropologist will
compare it against a
database of standard
markers and it is often
more accurate as it is not
a weight-bearing bone
and remains unaffected
by childbirth.
Pelvis
• Look for the pubic symphysis, which is the joint located in the
pelvis. The older the person at death, the more pitted these bones
will be. Forensic anthropologists will compare this against a
database of standard markers to learn the age of the
skeleton. Check if there are any soft marks on the cartilage which
are left by childbirth as the bones soften to allow easier birth.
• To identify gender, assess the pelvis shape; men have a narrow,
deep pelvis and women a wider, shallower pelvis, better-suited to
carrying a baby.
Wrist
• Examine the wrists, as
bones often hold clues to
the primary work of the
decedent. Bony ridges
form where the muscles
were attached and pulled
over the years. A forensic
anthropologist might find
a bony ridge on the wrist
and decide the dead
person may have been
someone who used their
hands for a living, such as
a chef or seamstress
Bugs
• When the skeleton is first
discovered, take samples
from around the remains
including any bugs you
come across. Insects such
as blowflies have a very
distinct lifecycle and often
plant their eggs on newly
deceased bodies. By
identifying the stage of
the lifecycle, a near-exact
time of death can be
established. This science
is known as forensic
entomology
Read the Article Real Face of Jesus
• http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/h
ealth/forensics/1282186
Real Face of Jesus
• History Channel Documentary - The Real Face
of Jesus from the Turin Shroud