Forensic Anthropology Chapter 1-6

Forensic Anthropologists

Analyze human skeletal remains that result from unexplained deaths

Anthropology

The study of the biological and cultural aspects of humans from all places and all times

Forensic Science

The fields of study that deal with legal issues, ex: medicine, dentistry, anthropology, criminal justice

Cultural Anthropology

The study of living humans and their way of life

Linguistic Anthropology

The study of language and its historical development

Archaeological Anthropology

The study of the reconstruction and interpretation of past cultures of humans

Physical/Biological

The study of the biological adaptations and evolution of humans and other primates, including: human evolution, primatology, human variation (genetics, forensics)

Skeletal Biology

The study of the human skeleton

Medicolegal

The capability of medical science to assist on legal matters

Father of Anthropology

Thomas Dwight

Parkman murder, 1849

First instance in which forensics methods were used as evidence in a court case

Medical examiners

Licensed physicians who are specialized in forensic work; they have the legal responsibility to certify deaths that have occurred outside a physicians care

Coroners

Elected officials who may or may not have medical training, also certify deaths in their jurisdiction

Forensic Pathologists

Medical doctors who perform autopsies and try to determine the cause and manner of death

Decedent

Recently deceased individual

Forensic Archaeologists

Use archaeological methods to locate and retrieve human skeletal material

Forensic Odontologists

Dentists who are specialized in identifying people from their dentition

Ballistics Experts

Specialize in firearms

Forensic Entomologists

Study insects on or near human remains, help to determine time since death

Forensic Botanists

Study plants at the crime scene; also assist in time since death and other areas of interest

Anthroposcopy

The visual inspection of the human body for the purpose of identifying qualitative traits

Osteometry/Metric Methods

The measurement of human bone on an objective scale (usually cm or mm), using calipers or an osteometric board. This method attempts to quantify the anthroposcopic characteristics

3D Digitizers

A rotating arm with a needle used to record 3D coordinates on human crania. Used in combination with programs like 3D-1D and Fordisc to help estimate ancestry and biological sex

Misc (Histology and Chemical Methods)

The study of the microstructure of bone and teeth; analyzing the chemical makeup of certain structures of the skeleton and associated materials

Decision Tables

Tables which help researchers judge the importance of conflicting information in order to arrive at a single conclusion

Range Chart

Creates a visual representation of multiple ranges of estimates in order to determine a central tendency

Discriminant Function

Statistical method for calculating a numerical expression of shape

Regression Equation

A statistical method by which the value of one characteristic can be determined from the values of other characteristics

Osteology

The study of bones, including their names, features, placement, and articulations

Odonotology

The study of the dentition or the teeth, including recognizing deciduous teeth from permanent teeth, placement, and features, and variations between ancestral groups

Anatomic Position

Limbs straight, arms alongside body, palms forward

Superior/Inferior

Towards the top (head)/towards the bottom (feet)

Proximal/Distal

Towards the trunk/away from trunk; in limbs only

Medial/Lateral

Closest to midline of body/further from midline

Anterior/Posterior (Ventral/Dorsal)

Front side/back side

Sagittal

Bisects body into left and right halves

Coronal

Bisects body into front and back halves

Transverse

Bisects body into top and bottom halves

Cranial skeleton

Bones of the head (cranium, mandible, ear ossicles)

Postcranial skeleton

All bones below the skull (the rest of the skeleton)

Axial skeleton and Thorax

Bones of the vertebral column and thorax (Sternum, Rib Cage, Vertebral Column)

Bones of the Skull

Frontal, Parietal (2), Occipital, Temporals (2), Zygomatics (2), Maxillae (2), Nasals (2), Nala conchae (2), Lacrymals (2), Sphenoid, Ethmoid, Vomer, Palatines (2), Mandible, Temporomandibular Joint, Hyoid

Sagittal Suture

Separates parietal bones

Coronal suture

Separates frontal from parietal

Lambdoid suture

Separates occipital from parietals

Squamosal suture

Separates parietals from temporals

Incisive suture (of palate)

Separates the part of maxillae which contain the incisors from the rest of the bone

Transverse palatine suture (of palate)

Separates maxillae from palatines

Median palatine suture (of palate)

Separates the two maxillae and the two palatines

Landmarks on the Skull

Bregma, Basion, Nasion, Nasospinale, Glabella, Opisthocranion, Lambda, Prosthion, Extocanthion, Asterion, Zygoorbitale, Maxillofrontale, Gnathion

Appendicular Skeleton

Bones of upper and lower limbs, shoulder, and pelvis

Upper limbs: Shoulder girdle, long bones, hand bones
Lower limbs: Pelvic girdle, long bones, patella, foot bones

Ossa Coxae (2)

Contain ilium, ischium, and pubis

Bone Anatomy

Must be able to identify internal and even microscopic features

Bone Growth

Can determine age by knowing the stages of skeletal growth

Joint Types

Helps in determining pathological conditions (which usually favor one joint type over the other)

Bone Anatomy

Gross External Anatomy, Gross Internal Anatomy, Microscopic

Gross External Anatomy

Components of bone bone that are visible without magnification

Disphysis

The shaft of the bone

Metaphysis

Flared structure at each end of bone

Epiphysis

Caps each end of the bone; remains separate from the other two parts during development, fuses after growth stops

Gross Internal Anatomy

Components of bone that are visible when a bone is cut open

Cortex/Compact bone:

Outside surface of bones; hard and smooth

Lamellar bone=

Strong, well-organized tissue which composes the cortex; laid down in this layers which run parallel to the long axis of the bone

Cancellous/Trabecular bone

Interior, sponge-like; reinforces the bone without adding weight

Medullary cavity

Opening that runs through the center of all long bones; filled with fatty tissues during life

Microscopic/Histological Anatomy

Components of bone that are visible under a microscope

Periosteum

Membrane that covers outside surface of bone; tissue which forms bone during growth and also creates new bone during the healing process of breaks and fractures

Vascular canals

Used for blood vessels; found throughout the lamellar bone of the cortex

Osteons

Bone cells found throughout the lamellar bone

Haversian canal

Opening for a blood cell that runs through the center of osteons

Apposition

Bone is deposited onto the ends of metaphyses and removed from what will become the narrower diaphysis

Synarthrodial joint (ex, bones of skull)

Immovable

Amphiarthrodial joint (joints between vertebrae)

Slightly movable

Diarthrodial joint

Freely movable

Hinge joint

one bones hinges on the other

Pivot joint

Movement is around a central axis

Condyloid joint

One surface is concave and the other is convex

Saddle joint

One concave surface and one convex surface

Ball-and-Socket

Ball-shaped part of bone articulates with a concave socket

Gliding joint

Allows a sliding movement between bones surfaces

Crown

Visible surface

Neck

Constricted area where the crown meets the rest of the tooth

Roots

Part embedded in jaw bone

Enamel

Covers crown; peaked in some teeth into points called cusps

Dentin

Bonelike material making up the root and underlying the crown; can become exposed if enamel wears off

Mesial

Parts of the teeth closest to the midline

Distal

Parts of the teeth away from the midline

Lingual

Inner parts of teeth

Labial/Buccal

Outer parts of teeth

Occlusal

Chewing surface of teeth

Forensic Significance

Remains which the medicolegal community have determined need investigation

Maturity

Differences in bones due to age

Architecture

Differences in the shape of bones of humans and animals

Human Skulls

Have very large, rounded braincases, small faces with little to no projection of face/snout, forward facing eyes, no projecting canines

Animal Skulls

Smaller, flatter crania; large faces with projecting snouts, eyes often placed laterally, projecting canines

Histology

The study of microscopic structures in bone and other tissues

State of Preservation

The physical status of bones after the loss of soft tissue

Body modification

Changes to the normal structure of bones and teeth that is preferred or required by society

Personal belongings

Nonosteological items found in association with the remains that help to distinguish contemporary from noncontemporary remains

Conditions of internment

The circumstances surrounding bodies found in graves