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fandomhigh2005-11-07 09:22 pm
the-ascended.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2005-11-07 09:22 pm
Introduction to Anthropology
Daniel sneezes repeatedly at the front of the classroom; his eyes red and watery.
"Please excuse me today," he says. "My allergies are playing up."
"Today, we're looking at Forensic Anthropology. It is a subset of Physical Anthropology. Forensic anthropologists specialize in the human skeleton. Physical or forensic anthropology concerns human identification when traditional means of identification is not possible. Often, a pathologist who normally focuses on organs and soft tissues may need bones examined by a physical anthropologist to find the answer to a question. Forensic anthropologists examine skeletal remains to provide age, race, sex, and height of the skeleton. Comparisons to anatomical landmarks can be made using X-rays of known individuals. To determine the manner of death, analyzation of fracture patterns enable a forensic anthropologist to reconstruct a trauma. Scenarios requiring the skill of a forensic anthropologist could include a skeleton that had been burned, decomposed, mummified or dismembered.
Traditional means of identification from unknown remains includes:
Visual
Dental/Medical records
Fingerprints
DNA (Nuclear); mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) in special circumstances because it’s more expensive
Anthropological Analysis includes the following questions:
Is it bone?
Is it human?
What are the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI), e.g. count the number of skulls?
What is the Post Mortem Interval (PMI) time since death?
What is the biological profile e.g. Sex, age, ancestry, stature?
What is the Individualization can be found e.g. Peculiar, handedness, weight, pathologies, trauma?
What is the nature of deposition (surface, buried, area, burned)?
What Special Techniques can be used: Facial reproductions (forensic art), Video superimposition?
Forensic anthropologists can be called to court as expert witnesses.
Forensic anthropological services are required not only to identify a individuals but especially in cases of mass graves, e.g. plane crashes and variously decomposed or destroyed bodies.
Now, for homework, I'd like you to look for an example of where forensic anthropology was applied, either to identifying an individual or with the mass graves. Hopefully on Wednesday, we'll be continuing to look at physical, or biological anthropology as it is also called."
"Please excuse me today," he says. "My allergies are playing up."
"Today, we're looking at Forensic Anthropology. It is a subset of Physical Anthropology. Forensic anthropologists specialize in the human skeleton. Physical or forensic anthropology concerns human identification when traditional means of identification is not possible. Often, a pathologist who normally focuses on organs and soft tissues may need bones examined by a physical anthropologist to find the answer to a question. Forensic anthropologists examine skeletal remains to provide age, race, sex, and height of the skeleton. Comparisons to anatomical landmarks can be made using X-rays of known individuals. To determine the manner of death, analyzation of fracture patterns enable a forensic anthropologist to reconstruct a trauma. Scenarios requiring the skill of a forensic anthropologist could include a skeleton that had been burned, decomposed, mummified or dismembered.
Traditional means of identification from unknown remains includes:
Visual
Dental/Medical records
Fingerprints
DNA (Nuclear); mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) in special circumstances because it’s more expensive
Anthropological Analysis includes the following questions:
Is it bone?
Is it human?
What are the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI), e.g. count the number of skulls?
What is the Post Mortem Interval (PMI) time since death?
What is the biological profile e.g. Sex, age, ancestry, stature?
What is the Individualization can be found e.g. Peculiar, handedness, weight, pathologies, trauma?
What is the nature of deposition (surface, buried, area, burned)?
What Special Techniques can be used: Facial reproductions (forensic art), Video superimposition?
Forensic anthropologists can be called to court as expert witnesses.
Forensic anthropological services are required not only to identify a individuals but especially in cases of mass graves, e.g. plane crashes and variously decomposed or destroyed bodies.
Now, for homework, I'd like you to look for an example of where forensic anthropology was applied, either to identifying an individual or with the mass graves. Hopefully on Wednesday, we'll be continuing to look at physical, or biological anthropology as it is also called."
Re: Homework