Forensic Anthropology

Parkman case (1840-1938)
• 1st use of analysis of skeleton remains
• Thomas Dwight – Father of Forensic Anthropology
• Hamann-Todd collection
• Terry Collection
 Problems with Collections: low socio-economic status (poor nutrition), Poor health, not representative of entire population, secular changes

• Krogman’s guide (guide to identifying remains)
- Human skeleton in Forensic Medicine
• WWII ID’s – CILHI in Hawaii (all young white males)
• Korean War ID’s – young, w & b males

• AAFS – physical anthro section formed
• ABFA established (only 88 granted since then)
• Beginning of formal training in forensic anthro
• T.Dale Stewart
 Curator of Physical Anthropology at Smithsonian
• William R. Maples – founded C.A Pound Human ID Lab at UF
• William Bass – U of TN
 Initiated research into time since death
 Bass Collection – modern known indv
 Human Osteology – Field guide

up vs down

front vs back

head vs tail

chest vs back

towards or away from the midline

deals with arms or legs, towards or away from midline (hand is distal to elbow, shoulder is proximal to my elbow)

directly down the middle, 2 = halves of body, R and L, presumably equal

front and back halves of the body, but not equal halves.

superior and inferior half of the body, sliced through horizontally is a transverse section

skull, spine, sacrum, ribs, cocksix (think head and spine, core line of skeleton)

everything else; appendages (clavical is appendicular)

mostly skull bones, form between two layers of connective tissue.

forms in cartilaginous model. Cartilage ossifies

spreading calibers, sliding calibers, osteometric board

glabella (most anterior spot on the brow bone) to opsthocranion (furthest point from glabella) (g to op),

Basion to Bregma

euryon to euryon (on side of parietals)

Identifying body, notify next of kin, collecting belongings, signing the death certificate

Determine time, cause and manner of death. Review medical history, review witness statements, scene examination, autopsy examination.

determine cause of death, i.e. pathology, standard in hospitals

take all organs out, vitreous humor, unnatural death, medico-legal purposes.

homicide, suicide, accident

natural, homicide, accident

natural… unless

natural, accident, suicide

Formative Period - Father of Forensic Anthropology

o Pentrometer – poky stick
o Soil Coring Probe
o Test Pit – dig

large areas that are open (square into triangle)

cartesian system, small areas (xy coordinate)

large areas; limited in small areas (30 degrees north – distance, angle and depth measurment)

o Reddish purple to purple coloration in dependent areas of the body (pooling of blood)
o Dependent areas/blanching
•Usually evident w/in ½ to 1 hour after death
•Maximum coloration or “fixed” at 8-12 hours

•Stiffening of the body
o Loss of ATP from muscle
•Usually 2-4 hours after death, fully develops in 12-16 hours
•Usually gone after 36 hours
•Can be affected by temp: warm = faster: cold = slower
•Starts in smaller muscles like hand, feet, and face muscles
•Body temp can affect rigor mortis

•Body temp
•Body cools at appros 1½ ° F per hr for the first 12 hours
o Then 1° for the next 12-18 hrs
•98° temp/1.5 = # of hours since death
•skin sloughing : after a while outer skin peels off

fatty tissues break down into waxy/putty

• Parallel “u” marks around edge of bone, often mistaken for saw marks