Forensic Forensic AnthropologyAnthropology

Mrs. TaktakMrs. Taktak

What Is Forensic What Is Forensic AnthropologyAnthropology

AnthropologyAnthropology is the study of is the study of humankind, culturally and humankind, culturally and physically, in all times and places. physically, in all times and places.

Forensic AnthropologyForensic Anthropology is the is the application of anthropological application of anthropological knowledge and techniques in a legal knowledge and techniques in a legal context. context.

This involves detailed knowledge of This involves detailed knowledge of osteology (skeletal anatomy)osteology (skeletal anatomy)

What is it used forWhat is it used for

Forensic anthropology is used to Forensic anthropology is used to show how someone died. show how someone died.

They can identify the age, sex, They can identify the age, sex, and race of the victim.and race of the victim.

What are some kinds of What are some kinds of traumatrauma

Antemortem Antemortem traumatrauma

Perimortem Perimortem traumatrauma

Postmortem Postmortem traumatrauma

Antemortem traumaAntemortem trauma

Is an injury that is sustained Is an injury that is sustained beforebefore the person died and therefore shows the person died and therefore shows clear signs of clear signs of healing healing that are that are recognizable on the bone after recognizable on the bone after death. death.

This could help in the identification This could help in the identification of that person, by comparing of that person, by comparing medical X-rays of possible victims medical X-rays of possible victims with those of the skeleton with those of the skeleton

Perimortem traumaPerimortem trauma

Is trauma that is sustained Is trauma that is sustained at or at or aboutabout the time of death. the time of death.

Tricky to distinguishTricky to distinguish

Postmortem traumaPostmortem trauma

Is an injury to the skeleton that Is an injury to the skeleton that has been sustained has been sustained afterafter death. death.

Postmortem trauma is distinctly Postmortem trauma is distinctly different from antemortem different from antemortem trauma, as there will be no signs trauma, as there will be no signs of healing. of healing.

Determining AgeDetermining Age

How to decipher age 0-5How to decipher age 0-5 The The calvariumcalvarium (skull cap) is much (skull cap) is much

larger in relation to the face and larger in relation to the face and mandible at this stage in life.mandible at this stage in life.

The mandible and maxilla become The mandible and maxilla become larger as permanent molars begin to larger as permanent molars begin to erupt. This occurs at approximately erupt. This occurs at approximately six years of age. This child is thought six years of age. This child is thought to be somewhere between the ages to be somewhere between the ages of 3 and 5 years old based on the of 3 and 5 years old based on the stage of tooth eruption and stage of tooth eruption and calcification. calcification.

3 Years Old

14 months old

5 Years and beyond5 Years and beyond

After the age of 5 the skull fully After the age of 5 the skull fully forms and the permanent teeth forms and the permanent teeth come in. Whenever the human come in. Whenever the human body gets older (18-60 and body gets older (18-60 and older) the skull slowly starts to older) the skull slowly starts to “deteriorate” and widen; not “deteriorate” and widen; not dramatically, but there is a dramatically, but there is a difference.difference.

How to determine sexHow to determine sex

This is determined by This is determined by studying the pelvis, base of studying the pelvis, base of the skull, the forehead, and the skull, the forehead, and the jaw. Males usually have a the jaw. Males usually have a more prominent brow ridge, more prominent brow ridge, eye sockets, and jaw. Women eye sockets, and jaw. Women have a wider pelvis. have a wider pelvis.

FEMALEFEMALE

MALEMALE

Male Male SkullSkull

Female Female SkullSkull

White, Asian, AfricanWhite, Asian, African

From: Beyers, S.N. (2005). Introduction to Forensic Anthropology

General Shapes of the Eye General Shapes of the Eye OrbitsOrbits

From: Beyers, S.N. (2005). Introduction to Forensic Anthropology

What do certain injuries What do certain injuries look likelook like

When observing a skeleton there When observing a skeleton there ways to tell what types of injuries ways to tell what types of injuries the skeleton/body obtainedthe skeleton/body obtained

Gunshot woundGunshot wound FractureFracture Occupational stress marksOccupational stress marks Sharp force injurySharp force injury

GunshotGunshot

FractureFracture

A fracture is A fracture is when the when the bone is bone is actually split actually split or brokenor broken

Sharp Force InjurySharp Force Injury

Decaying bodiesDecaying bodies It is actually very easy to figure out how It is actually very easy to figure out how

long a recently deceased body has been long a recently deceased body has been deceased.deceased.

Usually within the first half hour a body Usually within the first half hour a body is dead the flys come and start slowly is dead the flys come and start slowly eating away the body. The flies then find eating away the body. The flies then find an opening in the body and lay eggs. an opening in the body and lay eggs. Those eggs hatch within 24 hours.Those eggs hatch within 24 hours.

The bugs then start eating away at the The bugs then start eating away at the bodybody

ContinuedContinued When the hatched When the hatched bugs reach 15 bugs reach 15 millimeters in length millimeters in length the flies have then the flies have then been there for 2 been there for 2 weeks. weeks.

After this 2 week After this 2 week period the body period the body starts to bloat to an starts to bloat to an enormous size then enormous size then deflates and then deflates and then decay takes place.decay takes place.