Module 3 - Forensic Anthropology (Kyle)

FRSC 1030 FRSC Anthropology

Anthropology:

study of humans, human culture, and human biology

Forensic anthropology:

normally, study of human remains to help reconstruct events surrounding death; primarily focused on skeleton to determine age, gender, race, & other conditions

Human Skeleton • ____ bones

206

Bone ______varies with time

organization and growth

Human Skeleton Varies (somewhat) with…

sex (accuracy 70-90%, depending on which remains found), diet, and disease)

Forensic anthropologist is often required for identification purposes when recovered human remains are: (5)

• fragmented, • dismembered, • burnt • decomposed • remains are otherwise unidentifiable by visual means

Forensic anthropologist 1 st job is often to determine if….

items are bones and then if they are of human origin if skeleton not completely intact

Biological Profile contains what

• Sex • Age at death • Racial Ancestry • Height • Other class-level information

What is the point of a biological profile?

PROVIDES CONTEXT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION: if skeletal remains clearly from a 1.5m tall female, can quickly exclude various hypotheses

Scenarios for Forensic Anthropologists include; (4)

Fire damage,Mass graves and Mass disasters, Global identity of victims of war, Human rights atrocities

3 reasons Sex determination of human remains by a forensic anthropologist is important?

• Provides fast inferences of identity • narrows the search parameters for investigators • gives direction for a search early on

Femur

-largest bone in human body -heavy, long and slender

Proximal Femur consists of (3)

– Head, which articulates with hip bone via acetabulum – Neck – Greater and Lesser Trochanters

Trochanters in femur act as…

sites of muscular attachment

Sex determination using proximal femur based on biological variations in skeletal tissue, which result from:

• process of bone remodelling • varying skeletal mass • reproductive functions • muscular usage in biological males and females

Bone Remodeling

Bone remodelling is a continual modification process that is responsible for development and erosion of bone tissue

Bone remodelling process is affected by stress of two factors:

Physical Activity • Skeletal Mass

Physical Activity • Skeletal Mass • These variables contribute to….

sexual dimorphism in skeletal system

As bony material is stimulated by ____ new bone growth begins, and tissue is added to stimulated area to support ___________

physical activity, changing load and activity demands

Axial skeleton of biological males tends to be ____ than that of females

larger

skeleton of biological males tends to be larger than that of females -Due in part to:

-bone remodeling processes-body size

Role of the Femoral Head

Femoral head articulates with hip joint, and is responsible for taking on mass of axial skeleton, and distributing its weight

Differential anatomy of biological male and female pelvis also plays a role in….

sexual dimorphism observed in proximal femur.

In broadened female pelvis, acetebular cavity, which receives head of the femur, is placed in a more _______ than male hip joint

lateral and anterior position 

• Anatomical variation of female pelvis passes line of weight distribution through the femur to…..

a more lateral location on the femoral head

The anatomical variation of the female pelvis Decreases angle between the

femoral neck and shaft.

The proximal femur angle is useful for….

forensic sex determination

ADVANTAGES of using femurs is a forensic setting (7)

• Preservation : 

femur largest bone in human body

• As a long bone, it is more likely to be preserved and recovered

• Heavy, long and slender, it is not transported far by water •

Recovered up to 61% of the time after scavenging

• Highest bone mineral density of any long bones

• Thus, femur likely to be recovered in forensic context

Issues to Consider in FRSC anthropology? (5)

• Need for appropriate databases

• Assumptions of physical activity levels •

Pathological conditions (disease altering bones)

• Post-mortem distortions (drying, cracking)

• Different age groups (ie. Sub-adults)

Continued research on methodology to assess how skeletal material affected by a variety of factors such as: (3)

– pathological conditions – post-mortem distortions – different age groups (ie. Sub-adults)