Forensic anthropology refers to the use of physical anthropology in a legal setting, usually in criminal cases. The adjective "forensic" refers to the application of science to a court of law.
Forensic anthropologists do not determine cause of death of the unknown remains. That is the realm of the medical examiner or coroner. Their evidence can help a coroner decide manner of death, such as homicide, suicide, accident, or natural causes. Testimony as expert witness to the court relies on the training and scientific expertise of the anthropologist.
When human remains are found during anthropological or archaeological excavation, and when badly decomposed, burned, or skeletonized remains are found, a forensic anthropologist is needed. Metric and nonmetric traits are used to evaluate such characteristics of the bones as the minimum number of individuals, sex, stature, age at death, time since death, ancestry and race, health, unique identifying characteristics, and trauma. Sometimes the forensic anthropologist must determine whether the remains found are actually human. Many times, positive identification can be established from such remains, but often only an exclusionary identity can be drawn.
In trauma analysis, a forensic anthropologist attempts to determine whether sharp, force blunt force, or gunshot injury occurred before, near the time of, or after the death of the individual. If weapon use is found, the type of weapon or tool used may be determined by examining the marks left upon the bones. Even cremated remains can provide a surprising amount of information about the deceased individual.
Forensic anthropology in the United States
Forensic anthropology is one of the divisions of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences .
Two of the most important research collections of human skeletal remains are the Hamann-Todd Collection , now housed in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Terry Collection , now housed in the Smithsonian Institution. These collections are an important historic basis for the statistical analysis necessary to make estimates and predictions from found remains. More modern collections include the Anthropological Research Facility and the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Forensic anthropologists of note
- Thomas Dwight (1843 - 1919)
- Ales Hrdlicka (1869 - 1943)
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Earnest Hooton (1887 - 1954)
- Mildred Trotter (1899 - 1991)
- T. Dale Stewart (1901 - 1997)
- Wilton M. Krogman (1903 - 1987)
- Ellis R. Kerley (1924 - 1998)
- J. Lawrence Angel (1932 - 1988)
- William R. Maples (1937 - 1997)
- Karen Ramey Burns (1947 - )
- William M. Bass
- Richard L. Jantz
- Clyde C. Snow
- Douglas H. Ubelaker
See also:: Forensics, Forensic odontology, Human skeleton, Expert witness
External links
Last updated: 08-25-2005 07:34:07
