Slide 1Slide 2Slide 3Slide 4Slide 5Slide 6Slide 7Slide 8Slide 9Slide 10Slide 11Slide 12Slide 13Slide 14Slide 15Slide 16Slide 17Slide 18Slide 19Slide 20Slide 21Slide 22Slide 23Slide 24Forensic Anthropology and OdontologyForensic Anthropologythe study of human skeletal remains to determine sex, age, race, and time of death in an effort to identify an individualDefinition has been expanded to include these subtopics: forensic taphonomy – interpretation of outdoor death scenes forensic archaeology – recovery of scattered or buried remains newer topics of facial reconstruction and age progression“Anthros” is Greek for humankind or man and logos means “the study of.”Forensic AnthropologyPictures courtesy of Charles ComerDetermination of Sex1. Pelvis best• females have wider subpubic angle• females have a wider sciatic notch• females have a broad pelvic inlet•Females have a larger pelvic brimDetermination of Sex1. Pelvis best• females have wider subpubic angle• females have a wider sciatic notch• females have a broad pelvic inletDetermination of Sex2. Cranium second best•Crests and ridges more pronounced in males (A, B, C)•Chin significantly more square in males (E)•Jaw (I, E), mastoid process wide and robust in males•Forehead slopes more in males (F)Determination of SexOther bones are not usually as good an indicator regarding sexDetermination of RaceThe cranium is the only reliable bone and, even then, can only tell general category as below:•‘Mongoloid’ (all of Asian and Native American decent)wider cheekbones, concave incisors,width between eyes greatest•‘Black’ (everyone of African and West Indian decent)more prominent ridges, wider nasal opening•‘White’ (Caucasian and Hispanic decent) narrow everythingDetermination of Age from Bones•Ages 0-5: teeth are best – forensic odontology•Ages 6-25: epiphyseal fusion – fusion of bone ends to bone shaftepiphyseal fusion varies with sex and is typically complete by age 25•Ages 25-40: very hard, can use pubic symphysis•Ages 40+: periodontal disease, arthritis, breakdown of pelvis, occupational stress, unique cluesDetermination of Age from BonesOccupational stress wears bones at jointsSurgeries or healed wounds aid in identificationDetermination of Stature from BonesLong bone length (femur, tibia, humerus) is proportional to height There are tables that forensic anthropologists use. For example:Femur length Predicted Height 41 cm 167 cm (5’6”)50 cm 186 cm (6’1’)Males: (1.88 x femur length in inches) + 32.01Females: (1.945 x femur length in inches) + 28.70Dating Human Skeletal RemainsUnder the right conditions, bodies can be reduced to a skeleton in as little as three weeks Laboratory Tests•Immunology tests can indicate if body is a few months old or less•Blood pigments last less than 10 years•Identification of amino acids possible if less than 100 yrs old (fluorescence)•Percentage of nitrogen in bones (new is about 4.5%) – bones lose about 0.006% a year•Carbon dating for bones centuries oldFacial Reconstruction• Determine demographic information (female, Caucasian, early 40s)• Note unique features(had lost all back teeth on upper and lower jaw)• Anything known about this individual?(came to U.S. by boat in 1710 from Europe, died and buried in NY around 1733)1. Obtain skullFacial Reconstruction2. Add tissue depth markers•Based on largely on sex and race3. Begin to add common fat deposits and underlying musclesFacial Reconstruction4. Add muscle to average depth for race5. Add skin, nose, ears6. Add features related to age and race (wrinkles, eye and hair color)Facial Reconstruction7. Add clothing etc appropriate for the time period, religious affiliations, etcFacial ReconstructionAge Progression Photo of 2.5 year old male abducted by a family memberAge progression drawing using parents and siblings as a guide. It had been 15 years since the abduction so the subject was aged to 18 years of age.Age Progression Age progression drawing using parents and siblings as a guide. It had been 15 years since the abduction so the subject was aged to 18 years of age.Drawing led to tips and identification of the victimAge Progression Age progression drawing using parents and siblings as a guide. It had been 15 years since the abduction so the subject was aged to 18 years of age.Drawing led to tips and identification of the victimForensic Odontology• identification of bite marks on victims• comparison of bite marks with teeth of a suspect• identification of unknown bodies through dental records• age estimations of skeletal remains• victim identification through DNA analysisNormal Adult Human TeethForensic Odontology – Bite MarksPhysical Characteristics• distance from cuspid to cuspid• tooth alignment• teeth width, thickness, spacing• missing teeth• wear patterns including chips and grinding• dental history including fillings, crowns, etc.Forensic Odontology – Age DeterminationNeonatal Line – allows forensic odontologists to determine if a child was alive at birth• Ratio of L-aspartic acid to D-aspartic acid (+/- 1.5 years)(L-aspartic acid D-aspartic acid with time)• Gustafson’s Method – six signs of wear including dentin density and transparency (+/- 4
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