Overview on Forensic Anthropology
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- Date Submitted: 05/11/2010 01:56 PM
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“For me, everyday is Halloween”. This quote is an excerpt from William R. Maples, a famous forensic anthropologist, in his book “Dead Men Do Tell Tales”. In this paper we will discuss the importance of forensic anthropology and we will depict its contributions to our society today.
According to the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, Forensic anthropology is the application of the science of physical or biological anthropology to the legal process. Physical or biological anthropologists who specialize in forensics primarily focus their studies on the human skeleton. “The American Board of Forensic Anthropology was formed in 1977 to serve as a certifying institution thusly formalizing forensic anthropology” ((1)
Forensic Anthropology is a conglomerate field committed to unraveling the truth about human remains. The identification of awkwardly decomposed, skeletal human remains is imperative for not only humanitarian reasons but legal reasons as well. Forensic Anthropologists administer standard scientific techniques acquired in physical anthropology to distinguish human remains, and to aid in criminal investigations against individuals and against human rights.
Forensic Anthropology above all banks on Osteology, the study of bones, to assemble its observations. Most people don’t realize that an ample amount of our daily lives leave delicate imprints on our bones. Bones can depict the age, and sex of an individual, their health and/or traumas endured. Differing muscle attachment marks, scratch markings, and thickness on bones can express things such as race, age, gender and even size. With this harvested information gathered from the bones, a forensic anthropologist can determine the identity of the individual and the manner of death.
“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”. ((2)
As mentioned earlier, forensic...
According to the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, Forensic anthropology is the application of the science of physical or biological anthropology to the legal process. Physical or biological anthropologists who specialize in forensics primarily focus their studies on the human skeleton. “The American Board of Forensic Anthropology was formed in 1977 to serve as a certifying institution thusly formalizing forensic anthropology” ((1)
Forensic Anthropology is a conglomerate field committed to unraveling the truth about human remains. The identification of awkwardly decomposed, skeletal human remains is imperative for not only humanitarian reasons but legal reasons as well. Forensic Anthropologists administer standard scientific techniques acquired in physical anthropology to distinguish human remains, and to aid in criminal investigations against individuals and against human rights.
Forensic Anthropology above all banks on Osteology, the study of bones, to assemble its observations. Most people don’t realize that an ample amount of our daily lives leave delicate imprints on our bones. Bones can depict the age, and sex of an individual, their health and/or traumas endured. Differing muscle attachment marks, scratch markings, and thickness on bones can express things such as race, age, gender and even size. With this harvested information gathered from the bones, a forensic anthropologist can determine the identity of the individual and the manner of death.
“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”. ((2)
As mentioned earlier, forensic...