The word anthropology refers to the study of humans. Physical or biological anthropology refers to the study of primate order, including human and non-humans, and paleoanthropology is the study of deceased primates, both past and present. Cultural anthropology is the study of living humans within their cultures or civilizations, and forensic anthropology refers to the study of the development of the human species and includes osteology, which is the scientific study of bones, primarily the human skeleton.
Forensic Anthropologists Help Locate Remains
When skeletal remains or a severely decomposed body is discovered the forensics team will call in a forensic anthropologist. A forensic anthropologist begins by working with law enforcement in the field where the skeletal remains or body was discovered. If there is a question regarding whether the remains are human or animal a forensic anthropologists will make the final determination. If it is determined to be human remains then the forensic anthropologist helps find and identify any other skeletal remains located near the scene and notes which if any bones are missing.
Many times when someone dies or is left after death in the great outdoors animals quickly find the remains. If animals find the physical remains while a body is decomposing the remains may become scattered over a large area. So the forensic team needs to search carefully in a widened area to try and locate all of the bones of the deceased. After locating all of the physical skeletal remains in the field the forensic anthropologist will then take the skeletal evidence to the lab where the bones are assembled into the form of the original skeleton. Then the forensic anthropologist will carefully analyze each bone.
Osteological Analysis
According Dr. A. Midori Albert, PhD, a forensic anthropologist at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, “when we apply methods of studying the skeleton to cases of unknown modern remains, we are using osteology in a legal context; therefore we are practicing forensic anthropology (forensic means legal). Forensic anthropologists help identify individuals who died in mass disasters, wars, or due to homicide, suicide, or accidental death.” Forensic anthropologists are part of a team of forensic specialists that include pathologists, odontologists (forensic dentists who can help verify a person’s identity from dental radiology records and dental work), medicolegal death investigators and law enforcement, specifically homicide investigators all working to help obtain the identity of the deceased.
Once the skeletal remains are categorized by gender and ethnicity and an approximate age is determined, investigators can then focus on finding out who the person was and how the person died. Being a forensic anthropologist takes a great deal of patience. A forensic anthropologist helps identify the deceased, notify family of the findings and even determine the cause of death. If the cause of death was not from natural causes, an accidental death or the result of a suicide, a murder investigation is initiated to find the person who is responsible for killing the person.
Sources:
- University of North Carolina at Wilmington “What is Anthropology and Forensic Anthropology?” (accessed March 8, 2011).
Erika Lyn Smith - Erika Lyn Smith - is a Psych RN, who has completed the UMSL Medicolegal Death Investigator Training Course, and is finishing a BS in ...
