Week4: Osteology & Forensic Anthro
Skeleton
The framework of bones in the body that provides support, movement, protection, mineral and fat storage, and blood cell formation.
Bone is made up of both
Organic + Inorganic parts
collagen hydroxyapatite
strength + elasticity
Osteocytes
Cells that deposit bone
2 types
Osteoclasts
Cells that absorb bone
*-clats “clans” .. you get absorbed in clan lifestyle
OsteoBlasts
Cells deposit bone
*-Blasts...blast you out of here
How may bones do you start with + how many bones do you end with
Start: 300
End: 260
bones turn over the course of your life (10 years)
Diaphysis
The main length of a long bone
where a lot of cell production occurs
*Dia-”diaphragm expands” expands means to stretch far
Epiphysis
The ends of a long bone
*Epiphany.. you realize something at the end
Cortical Bone
Compact bone on the outside of a long bone
thickest at the diaphysis
*sounds like “critical” so its serious and on the outside
Trabecular Bone
Spongy bone found inside a long bone
Standard Anatomical Position
The position where palms are facing forward
Axial Skeleton
The skull, ribcage, and spine
*Inside base…turning on the axis-main point
Appendicular Skeleton
The limbs and appendages
all have pairs
Cranium
The area that surrounds the brain
Mandible
The jaw bone (bottom half)
NOT part of the craniun
Maxilla
the upper part of your jaw
holds your teeth
Mental Eminence
chin
*when you think you touch your chin
Occipital Bone
The bone at the back of the skull for vision
protects cerebellum and occipital lobes
Orbits
eye sockets
Supraorbital Margin
Top of the eye socket
Supraorbital Ridge
bow ridge (unibrow)
What is the name of the line that runs between the frontal and parietal lobes
coronal
runs across the skull (wide)
*Corona our cat is always running back and forth between the room
*Corona like a crown sits along the width of your head
What is the name of the line that runs on the side near the temporal lobe
temporal line
What is the name of the line that runs along the length of your skull
sagittal suture
What is the name of the line that runs width wise at the back of your head near occipital lobe
Lambodial suture
*Lamb- “land”...roames across the land of your head
Nuchal Line
runs up your spine into your brain
Foramen Magnum
spine cords gets into the cranium
*Foramen …”foreign men”..Spine is a foreign man invading into the head
Temporal auditory meatus is
the external opening ti the ear canal
Temporal Bone
The bone on the side of the skull
Zygomatic
cheekbones
*-matic..”ecstatic” you smile really wide and it prompts your cheeks
Hyoid
attachment point to the muscles that allow us to speak
only bone in the body that doesn’t articulate with any other
Sternum
also known as the breastbone and articulates to the ribs
protection of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels from physical damag
Ribs
articulate through the ribs 12 pairs and 24 in total
1-7 Real: articulate indiv.
8-10 False: share cartilage but aren’t idiv
11-12 Floating: don’t articulate at all
some people can be born w/out the 12 rib if really small
Vertebra
makes up the spinal column
Cervical Vertebra : # + function
#7 and part of the neck
Thoracic: #12 + function
#12 + stabalizes the ribcage
*Thor…a steady figure and support
Sacrum: # + function
#5 (fused) + strengthens and stabilizes pelvis
Coccyx
#4 (Fused) + is the tailbone
Lumbar
#5 + make the lower back
*lumberjacks have to be big + robust to be able to chop wood (swinging engages the back)
Atlas (C1) + Axis (C2)
1st + 2nd vertebre that allows us to move our head
Clavicle
The collarbone
Scapula
The shoulder blade
Humerus
The bone in the upper arm (top arm bone)
gives the arm motion range w/ gelnoid fossa
Ulna
forearm on the medial side (bottom)
closer to the body
fits into the olecranon fossa + creates the elbow joint
Radius
forearm on the lateral side (top)
thumbs up is the radius side
Carpals
The bones in the palm of the hand
Metacarpals
The bones that lead into the fingers
includes knuckles
Phalanges
The bones in the fingers
4 fingers have 4 phalanges
thumb only has 2 phalanges
Innominate
The hip bone “no name”
also known as oscoxa
made up of 3 parts that fuse together as you develop
Illium
if you put your hands on your hips you’re touching the illium
Ischium
bottom tips of your pelvis
Pubis
used for sex estimation
Acetabulum
connects hip bone to the femur
ball + socket joint
easier to dislocate cause it’s not the same as in your shoulder
*antebellum - before something .. before the femur
Femur
The thigh bone
strongest bone in the body
Patella
The kneecap
What makes up teeth?
dentition and enamel
NOT bone (enamel doesn’t regenerate)
4 types: incisor, canine, premolar, molar
What is the human dental formula?
2-1-2-3
we don’t have as many teeth as other species
Incisor
A type of tooth used for cutting
*incision —> surgery cutting
Canine
A type of tooth used for tearing
*canine → dog → security dog would tear you to shreds
Premolar
A type of tooth used for grinding
Molar
A type of tooth used for grinding
Forensic Anthropology
The application of anthropological principles to medico-legal investigations, particularly using knowledge of human osteology.
General Archaeological Rule (#of years)
50+ years makes it archaeological
flexible
Biological Profile
Estimating
sex
age at death
stature
population affinity of an individual from skeletal remains.
Pathology
anything that happens after death
Sex Estimation
Determining the biological sex of an individual based on skeletal characteristics.
Non-metric: [morphological]
Metric: [measurements]
pelvis
skull
jaw
What do we look at when we’re estimating sex?
the innominate
Works on a scale: 1-5
- Females closer to 1, males closer to 5
Females <—--------------------> Males
the contour [curve] of the innominate (pelvis hip)
males have more of a ‘V’ shape
*v-line
while females have a ‘U’ shape
What’s another thing that we can look at to estimate sex
the skull
1-5 scale
Males have a more robust skull
→ eyebrow ridge protrudes
→ as well as the back the head sticks out more w/ a slight hook
Females are more gracile
→ smoother eyebrow ridge, and compacted skull
Eruption
teeth gorwing in
Age Estimation
Determining the age at death of an individual based on skeletal characteristics
pelvis
teeth
rib ends
Stature Estimation
Estimating the height of an individual based on skeletal measurements
Use certain tools: osteometric boars and calipers
Trauma
Indicates injuries suffered
whether or not associated with death
May reflect day-to-day life or interpersonal injury
Blunt Force Trauma
Injuries caused by a wide area of impact
hammer
car accident
Features: radiating fracture [grow out from area of impact]
Sharp Force Trauma
Injuries caused by a small area of impact
cutting
stabbing
examine cut marks
Projectile Trauma
Injuries caused by an object moving through the air
gunshots
arrows
spears
Gunshot Wounds (GSW)
Trauma caused by a gunshot
identified by beveling, size, and irregularity of edges
also often has radiating fractures
Antemortem Trauma
Trauma before death is identified through signs of healing.
Postmortem Trauma
Trauma that occurs after death and is identified through taphonomic alterations.
Taphonomy
alteration after death
ex: vultures eating a dead carcas or a body being moved
Dry bone
look for staining, jagged rough edges, irregular patterns
Perimortem
around the time of death —> a few days or hours before
Identified by “green” wet bone
look for radiating fractures, uniform coloration, bone tear, sharp edges