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TRANSCRIPT
Forensic
Anthropology(F.A.)
Skeletal Remains
Forensic Anthropology(F.A.)
• A type of applied physical anthropology
that specializes in the human skeletal
system for purposes of identifying
unknown remains
• Information gathered from the skeletal
remains of an individual is the principal
source of information about an
unidentified individual
Questions can be Answered
Using Forensic Anthropology
• Are the remains animal or human?
• Are the remains male or female?
• What is the age of the victim?
Questions can be Answered
Using Forensic Anthropology
• What was the manner of death?
– Natural, accidental, homicidal, suicidal, undetermined
• What was the cause of death?
– Millions of possibilities; usually determined by injuries to the body
Forensic Anthropology
Requires Knowledge
of the Skeleton1. Skull 11. Fibula
2. Mandible 12. Tibia
3. Clavicle 13. Iliac Crest
4. Sternum 14. Os Pubis
5. Xyphoid Process
6. Humerus
7. Radius
8. Ulna
9. Os Coxae
10. Femur
Animal or Human?
• Osteology--the study of bones
• Human and animal bones have very
different structures
• When partial bones are only available,
scientists look at the osteons
– Osteons are the holes in bones that carry
blood
– In animals, they form regular patterns
– In humans, the patterns are known to be
more random
Male or Female?
• Bones in the male skeleton tend to be
larger than those of the female skeleton
• The os pubis, sacrum, and the ilium of
the pelvis are bones that have the most
obvious differences between men and
women
Male or Female?
• The ventral arc on the female pelvic bones is also more defined than that of the male pelvic bones
Male or Female?
Male or Female?
Male or Female?
MaleFemale
Age?
• Growth plates called epiphyses form together and eventually unite with age.
Age?
• Cranial sutures also form a completely
connected skull by a certain age
Age?
• Scientists use the general age for
sutures to fuse and compare that age to
how formed together these bones are
and can make a general age estimate
Race?
• Caucasoid:
– Descriptor for people of European,
Middle Eastern, and East Indian
Descent
– Characteristics:
• Long, narrow nasal aperture
• A Triangular Palate
• Oval Eye Orbits
• Narrow Zygomatic Arches
• Narrow Mandibles
Race?
Race?
• Negroid:
– A descriptor for people of African, Aborigine,
and Melanesian decent
– Characteristics:
• Wide Nasal Aperture
• A Rectangular Palate
• Square Eye Orbits
• Pronounced Zygomatic Arches
• Long bones are longer and have greater density
Race?
Race?
• Mongoloid:
– Descriptor for people of Asian, Native
American, and Polynesian descent
– Characteristics:
• Rounded nasal aperture
• Parabolic palate
• Rounded eye orbits
• Wide zygomatic arches
• Pointed mandibles
Race?
Facial Reconstruction
• Used when traditional methods of
identification are not useful
• Uses standard tissue thickness and
facial muscles to build a new face on a
skull
• The skull and skeleton gives information
about age, race, and gender
• Not totally accurate and is more of an art
form based in science
Steps in Facial Reconstruction
• Establish age,
gender, and if
possible, race
• Glue tissue markers
to landmarks directly
on the skull for tissue
thickness
Steps in Facial Reconstruction
• Mark muscle insertion points and mount markers for thickness of tissue
• Mount eyes in sockets at the proper depth
• Apply clay to the skull following the contours, using markers and muscle insertion points
• Make measurements to determine nose thickness and length and the mouth thickness and width
Steps in Facial Reconstruction
• Cover the skull with layers of skin and
add the details of the face
Facial Reconstruction