Anthropology

Case Study #1 As a forensic anthropologist working on the “fox hollow murders” and examining the heavily fragmented and commingled remains that were found burned, different strategies and forensic methods were employed in recovering and identifying the victims. Some of the remains retrieved showed significant burns making it harder for forensic anthropologist to distinguish between the remains. Nonetheless, forensic anthropologists noted that there were two distinct types of states in which the remains were burned, a green state, and a dry state. The bones that were burned in a green states were easily recognized by the pronounced attachment of flesh to the bones and the fresh appearance of the remains, whereas the dry state didn’t have any flesh attached and was just bones (Ubelaker, 2008). Forensic anthropologist could also differentiate between the two types of burning states through the external changes that occurred to the bones as they were burned. In the green (fleshed) state, the bones displayed transverse fractures, had pronounced irregular longitudinal splitting along the bones, and considerable warping-which is bending and twisting of the bones to make it appear as though the bone was made of rubber and deformed intentionally (Ubelaker, 2008). However, remains burned in a dry state displayed none of these characteristics and produced less variation in fracture patterns and warping (Ubelaker, 2008). Furthermore, due to the nature of the case and the extensive heat alteration that occurred to the bones, recognition of the bones as human or non-human became hard to discern. However, by employing certain osteological methods anthropologist could characterize the highly fragmented remains. One such method frequently utilized by the forensic team was determining the maturity and architecture of the bones, as well as the analysis of the cranium, which is very distinct from any non-human (Byers, 2011). Similarly, the presence of projecting saber like teeth,

Cited: Bass WM. 1987. Human Osteology A laboratory and Field Manual. Missouri: Missouri Archaeological Society Special Publication. P.81. Black S, Ferguson E. 2011. Forensic Anthropology 2000 to 2010. Florida: CRC Press. P. 119-128. Byers SN. 2011. Introduction to forensic anthropology (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.