Forensic Anthropology
By: Honey Bennett
What is a forensic anthropologist?
*Anthropology is the study of the human skeleton
*Forensic anthropology is the examination of human skeletal remains [for
law enforcement agencies to determine the identity of unidentified
bones.]
*they can also assist in the identification of deceased individuals whose
remains are decomposed, burned, mutilated or otherwise
unrecognizable”.
What do they do?
• Forensic anthropologists can use techniques to assess
age, sex, stature, ethnicity, ancestry, height, length of
time since death, and sometimes analyze trauma and
disease.”
• "Why study bones? In summary, the
answer is that bones often survive the
process of decay and provide the main
evidence for the human form after
death."
How they do it
• they use many different tequniques to find out
evidence of the bones
• GENDER = bones are shaped
differently
…how they do it
• AGE= number of bones and by presences or absence of cart
ledge.
• HEIGHT= measure the bones which helps determine the height
• RACE = shape of the eye sockets, absence or presence of a nasal
spine, width of face, amulation of the jaw and face
Interview
What type of education do you have to have to be a
forensic anthropologist?
*At least a masters degree after college in anthropology, and preferably a
PHD
Typical day like?
*they are just used when crime scenes need them, they just work
on the Academic side of anthropology now but trying to start a
growing trend to work in medical examinations offices
Do you have a “day job”?
*Yes, they are used as an as needed based on a crime scene
Education
• What type of degree do you have to have to be a
forensic anthropologist?
At least a masters degree in anthropology after 4 years of
college, and preferably a PHD in anthropology
• Where are they employed?
• Forensic anthropologists are employed primarily at
universities and forensic facilities around the country.
Case study
• The Romanovs (1918)
the Romanovs were a royal family of Russia, and they were
Said to have been killed by a firing squad . Until a team of
Specialists discovered a grave with the Romanovs and their
Servants in it. They identified the age, sex and gender of
All nine skeletons. 5 were women, and 4 were men. Their
Skulls had been crushed, so it was difficult to know what happened to them, their bones and teeth helped. One
Of the skeletons had rough knee joints, showing they worked on their knees, knowing that was the servant.
No one has ever been able to actually tell what happened to the Romanov family, they were most likely shot
but the actual events of what happened to them Romanov family still remains a question
Citations
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_anthropology
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/biology/forensics/
http://web.utk.edu/~anthrop/FACwhatis.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/news/press_releases/images/visibleproofs/III
_D_134.jpg
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/oct2000/images/1991b.jpg
http://www.anthro4n6.net/forensics/
http://www.anthro4n6.net/forensics/pelvis2.gif
“Forensic science—Anthony J. Bertino”
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/death_of_the_romanovs.htm
Vanderbilt Anthropology center