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FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY A Very Brief Overview

CHE 113. FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY A Very Brief Overview. Thanks to help from Prof. Ann Bunch, SUNY Oswego. Forensic Anthropology Brief Overview. Defined as “the field of study that deals with the analysis of human skeletal remains resulting from unexplained deaths.”

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FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY A Very Brief Overview

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  1. CHE 113 FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGYA Very Brief Overview Thanks to help from Prof. Ann Bunch, SUNY Oswego

  2. Forensic AnthropologyBrief 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. 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. Osteology: study of skeletal remains Each bone studied INDIVIDUALLY 206 Skeletal Bones (total)

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

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

  7. Osteology

  8. Osteology

  9. Macroscopic differences Baboon femur Human femur

  10. Microscopic differences human Spongy bone mouse

  11. Osteology Radiographs

  12. Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent Skull Hip bone Femur

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

  14. Information from skeletal remainsSex of decedent MALE OR FEMALE SKELETON? (a) IS FEMALE and (b) IS MALE Handout

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

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

  17. What can we learn from skeletons? Age at Death Hip bone most useful for adults Estimate given as a range (30 – 35 yrs old) Teeth: Erupted or Not? Epiphyses: fused or unfused? Auricular surface Pubic symphysis

  18. Age at DeathLong Bone Development

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

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

  21. Osteology Teeth also studied Deciduous –vs- Permanent

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

  23. 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

  24. Spine

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

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

  27. Other information TRAUMA and PATHOLOGIES Ante- mortem Post-mortem Peri-mortem Gunshot

  28. Trauma

  29. 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

  30. 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

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

  32. Big Island Aircraft Crash Piper Aircraft with 9 passengers, 1 pilot

  33. Big Island Aircraft Crash Aircraft’s path prior to crash & location of crash

  34. Big Island Aircraft Crash NTSB determination of cause = pilot error

  35. Big Island Aircraft Crash

  36. Big Island Aircraft Crash

  37. Big Island Aircraft Crash Document remains present

  38. Big Island Aircraft Crash X-ray all remains/ Possible remains

  39. Big Island Aircraft Crash

  40. Big Island Aircraft Crash Personal effects and identification

  41. Big Island Aircraft Crash Identification “by exclusion” Osteoarthritis

  42. Big Island Aircraft Crash

  43. Big Island Aircraft Crash Sorting out commingling

  44. Other Types of Evidence Wreckage fragments Wreckage in situ

  45. Federal Government Cases From Prof. Ann Bunch SUNY Oswego Ha Tay Province, Socialist Republic of Vietnam 1995-1996 Recovery Mission

  46. 1972 B-52 Crash Site Christmas Bombing of Hanoi, Operation “Rolling Thunder”

  47. Witness interviews

  48. 1972 B-52 Crash Site Pond after draining

  49. B-52 Crash Site Surrounding terrain

  50. The “Bottomless Pit”

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