Term
| Who is considered the "Father of Forensic Anthropology"? |
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Definition
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Term
| What four subdisciplines make up anthropology? |
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Definition
| Cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, archaeology, and physical anthropology |
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Term
| What is a biological profile? |
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Definition
| It is a summary of estimated biological parameters that include estimating sex, ancestry, age, and stature from skeletal material from unknown individuals. |
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Term
| What subfield of anthropology does forensic anthropology fall under? |
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Definition
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Term
| What do forensic anthropologists do? |
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Definition
| They assist law enforcement with developing a biological profile, analyzing skeletal trauma, estimating the time since death, and facilitating personal identification of unidentified remains |
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Term
| What is the role of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the American Board of Forensic Anthropology? |
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Definition
| provides education, certification, and standards to the field of forensic anthropology |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| To chew or break down food |
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Term
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Definition
| the study of animal skeletons |
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Term
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Definition
| A large protein molecule that comprises most of bone's organic content. |
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Term
| What is another name for an osteon? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| It is the basic structural unit of bone. Those formed during growth are called primary osteons while those that are formed during remodeling are called secondary osteons. |
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Term
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Definition
| The law of bone transformation. Everyday forces due to normal use determine how bones grow to fit their functions, and how they adapt and are remodeled during life in response to biomechanical needs. |
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Term
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Definition
| The spongy, porous bone; also called cancellous bone. Typically found at the ends of long bones as well as in vertebral bodies and flat bones |
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Term
| What two parts does the skull consist of? |
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Definition
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Term
| [blank] is the action of osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity to repair microdamage throughout life. |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| A thin tissue layer lining the exterior surface of bones. |
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Term
| What is the axial skeleton? |
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Definition
| Bones along (or near) the body's midline. |
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Term
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Definition
| Small channels that connect osteocytes |
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Term
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Definition
| Osteon of Haversian System |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What is a Haversian Canal? |
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Definition
| The central passageway of an osteon |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What are smaller canals perpendicular to Haversian canals? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the 3 types of bone cells and what is each responsible for? |
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Definition
| Osteoblasts (forming cells), Osteoclast (absorbing cells), and Osteocytes (mature living bone cells) |
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Term
| What two chemicals are looked for when determining if something is bone via elemental analysis? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the inorganic primary component of bone? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the primary organic compound that makes up bone? |
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Definition
| Collagen, which is a large protein and gives bone its flexibility |
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Term
| What are the two primary components of bone? |
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Definition
| Collagen and hydroxyapatite |
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Term
| What are the concentric rings that surround the Haversian canal? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| The study of the microscopic structures of tissue. |
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Term
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Definition
| 1. Osteon (Haversian system) 2. Haversian Canal 3. Osteocyte 4. Canaliculi |
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Term
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Definition
| Dense bone that is typically found on external surfaces of bones and forms the walls of the shafts of long bones. |
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Term
| Cancelleous (Trabecular) bone located in cranial bones is called something different. What is it called? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the hollow inner part of bone shafts called? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the forming of bone into its final adult shape? |
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Definition
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Term
| Describe anatomical position. |
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Definition
| Standing feet pointed forward with palms forward. |
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Term
| What is the Sagittal plane? |
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Definition
| A plane through the body from front to back that divides the body into left and right halves |
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Term
| What is the Coronal plane? |
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Definition
| A plane perpendicular to the sagittal plane that divides the body front and back. |
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Term
| What is the Transverse plane? |
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Definition
| A plane that slices through the body perpendicular to the sagittal and frontal planes; also called horizontal. (Divides Top half and bottom half) |
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Term
| Anatomical Direction: What does superior mean? |
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Definition
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Term
Anatomical Direction: What does inferior mean? |
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Definition
| Down or away from the head |
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Term
| Anatomical Direction: What does Anterior mean? |
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Definition
| Toward the front of the body |
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Term
Anatomical Direction: What does posterior mean? |
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Definition
| Toward the back of the body |
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Term
| Anatomical Direction: What does medial mean? |
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Definition
| Toward the midline of the body |
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Term
Anatomical Direction: What does Lateral mean? |
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Definition
| Away from the midline of the body |
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Term
| Anatomical Direction: What does Proximal mean? |
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Definition
| Closest to an articular point; nearest the axial skeleton (bones nearest to midline - torso) |
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Term
| Anatomical Direction: What is Distal? |
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Definition
| Farthest from an articular point; away from the axial skeleton (bones closest to the midline - torso) |
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Term
Anatomical Direction: What is Plantar? |
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Definition
| The sole side of the foot |
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Term
Anatomical Direction: What is Dorsal? |
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Definition
| The top of the foot or back of the hand |
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Term
Anatomical Direction: What is Palmar? |
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Definition
| The palm side of the hands |
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Term
| [Blank] skeleton refers to everything below the skull. |
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Definition
| postcranial skeleton (infracranial skeleton) |
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Term
| What is the appendicular skeleton? |
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Definition
| The bones of the limbs as well as their supporting structures where they connect to the axial skeleton. |
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Term
| What bones make up the Thorax (trunk)? |
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Definition
| Hyoid, sternum, vertebrae, and ribs |
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Term
| What two groups can the bones of the cranium be divided into? |
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Definition
| Cranial vault (neurocranium) and Splanchnocranium (Facial skeleton) |
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Term
| What is the order of the vertebrae? |
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Definition
| Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar |
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Term
| How do you tell the difference between a Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar Vertebrae? |
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Definition
| Cervical looks like a mouse, Thoracic loos like a giraffe, Lumbar looks like a moose |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What is the hole called in each vertebrae where the spinal cord goes through? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Cervical Vertebrae - Transverse Foramen |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Cranium - 1. Orbit 2. Nasal Aperture |
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Term
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Definition
| Mandible - 1. Mandibular Condyle 2. Alveoli |
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Term
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Definition
| Clavicle and Scapula Acromion Process |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Innominate - 1. Acetabulum 2. Pubic Symphysis |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Femur - 1. Head 2. Condyles |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Tibia 1. Tibial Crest 2. Medial Malleolus |
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Term
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Definition
| 1. Distal Phalanges 2. Intermediate Phalanges 3. Proximal Phalanges 4. Metacarpals 5. Carpals |
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Term
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Definition
| 1. Distal Phalanges 2. Intermediate phalanges 3. Proximal Phalanges 4. Metatarsals 5. Tarsals |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What is the permanent dentition formula for adult humans? |
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Definition
| 2123 (2 incisors, 1 canine, 2 premolars, and 3 molars in each quadrant) |
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Term
| What is the deciduous dentition dental formula for humans? |
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Definition
| 2102 (2 incisors, 1 canine, 0 premolars, 2 molars) |
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Term
| Describe the relationship between a Haversian canal, Volkmann's canal, and canaliculi. Why does bone have this arrangement of passageways? |
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Definition
| Haversian canals contain the blood and nerve supply for bones and the Volkmann's canals run perpendicular to the Haversian canal, connecting them. Canalicula supply blood from the Haversian canal to the osteocytes like a capillary. |
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Term
| How might a thorough knowledge of normal skeletal anatomy help a forensic anthropologist in identifying abnormalities in growth and development? |
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Definition
| In order to see an abnormality you have to know what is in the normal range. Also, knowing the relative size of bone and how they look completely fused can assist in differentiating between animal in human bones. (i.e. a tiny femur fully fused is probably not a baby child because the maturity of the bones does not match the size) |
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Term
| Describe the anatomical directional relationship between the following bones and your sternum: cranium, humerus, T2, patella |
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Definition
| The cranium is superior to the sternum, humerus, T2, and patella; it is also medial to the humerus. The humerus is distal to the sternum, cranium, and T2. The patella is inferior to the cranium and T2 |
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Term
| What is the major difference between intramembranous and endochondral ossification? |
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Definition
| Endochondral ossification refers to bone formation from a cartilaginous precursor, while intramembranous ossification refers to bone formation from a connective tissue membrane. |
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Term
| What is another name for a macroscopic analysis? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are some common approaches used to make forensic anthropological assessments and estimates from skeletal remains? |
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Definition
| Macroscopic analysis, metric analysis, radiology, histology, and elemental analysis. |
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Term
| Metric analysis of bones is also called [blank] |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Why do forensic anthropologists use radiography? |
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Definition
| Different materials have different radiodensities which allows for the distinction of skeletal and non-skeletal materials. |
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Term
| How thin must a slice of bone be for histology? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is elemental analysis and how can it be used in forensic anthropology? |
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Definition
| It is the analysis of material for its elemental or isotopic composition. It can help distinguish between skeletal and non-skeletal material as well as age certain bones. |
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Term
| What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of macroscopic and metric analysis. |
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Definition
macroscopic: non-destructive, cheap and easy, but it is subjective
Metric: more precise, objective, non-destructive, but it is time consuming, may not have the data for an accurate grouping |
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Term
| Why is it important to have modern documented human skeletal collection available for study? |
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Definition
| Humans have changed over the years and due to changes like nuclear testing and advances in medicine, non-modern skeletons man not provide an accurate grouping or accurate comparison information for modern skeletons |
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Term
| What is the purpose of accreditation and why is it important? |
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Definition
| It creates quality control and standards to ensure accurate and viable analyses |
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Term
| Why is the chain of custody of evidence important? |
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Definition
| It shows who all had access to the evidence and its documentation ensures no one has tampered with the evidence and ensures the results are of the evidence in question |
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Term
| What three questions must be answered to determine if remains are of medicolegal significance. |
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Definition
| Is the material skeletal versus some other material? Is the skeletal material human versus non-human? Is the human skeletal material contemporary (recent) versus non-contemporary? |
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Term
| What are some examples of natural taphonomic processes that can destroy bone? |
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Definition
| weathering, sun bleaching, animal scavenging, soil and water chemistry (diagenesis), and root etching |
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Term
| How should skeletal remains be examined? |
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Definition
| Least invasive to most invas)ive (i.e. macroscopy, metric, radiography, histology, elemental) |
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Term
| What are some primary indicators used to assess whether human remains are contemporary? |
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Definition
| Taphonomic, contextual, and biocultural |
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Term
| Define contemporary when referring to remains in the medicolegal context? |
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Definition
| having died within the last 50 years or so |
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Term
| What are taphonomic indicators? |
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Definition
| indicators that affect the appearance, quality, and preservation of the remains. |
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Term
| What are context indicators? |
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Definition
| it refers to where something was found, and where it was found in relation to other artifacts, when in time it was found, and when it was originally deposited. |
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Term
| Artifacts are categorized in two ways, what are they and what do they mean? |
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Definition
| Personal effects are thing buried with the body that belonged to the person buried. Grave goods are artifacts placed with a decedent's remains by other individuals. |
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Term
| What are biocultural factors? |
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Definition
| They are diet, food, and other practices that have changed dramaticallly in the last several hundred years, thus dental and other features will be different from modern skeletons. |
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Term
| What is trephination and is it seen in contemporary populations? |
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Definition
| cranial surgery and typically no. |
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Term
| Describe how you would approach the determination of medicolegal significance during the laboratory analysis of small, fragmentary pieces of material suspected to be possible human remains. |
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Definition
| I would first determine if the remains were skeletal in nature and then if they were, determine if they human or non-human. Depending on what bones I have available I may seek to determine if the bones are contemporary. |
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Term
| What is the order of non-invasive to most invasive? |
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Definition
| Macroscopy, metric, radiography, histology (microanalysis), elemental analysis |
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Term
| Why do differences in locomotion affect bone architecture? Describe how forensic anthropologists use this information in determining whether remains are human or non-human. |
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Definition
| Because of Wolff's law, bone forms in the manner to support how it is used. Therefore, bone that is of a bipedal organism will be different than a quadruped because the weight distribution and function will be different. |
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Term
| You are presented with a small femur (15cm in length) with fused epiphyses. Discuss whether this bone is likely to be human or non-human based on this information. |
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Definition
| It is not likely to be human. 15cm is very small for a human, approximately 6 inches. The fused epiphyses is indicative of maturity and with the size and maturity of bone, it is likely to be non-human |
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Term
| You are presented with a partially skeletonized bear paw initially suspect to be a human hand. In what ways does a bear paw differ from a human hand? What information would you provide investigators to demonstrate that the remains are non-human? |
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Definition
| On a microscale, the bone is probably non-haversian bone, but on a visual level, the navicular an lunate are fused and the metapodials have a ridge on the distal articular surface |
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Term
| For each of the following scenarios, describe some of the indicators that may help determine the medicolegal significance of the discovery: 1. Skeletal remains from an accidentally disturbed prehistoric burial 2. Materials misplaced from an anatomical teaching collection 3. A human cranium (an apparent "trophy skull") found in an attic 4. Human skeletal remains from an accidentally disturbed historic grave 5. An apparent human skeleton found in a ditch along the highway |
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Definition
| 1. The location where the bones is a dead giveaway that the bones are not recent and the artifacts with the bodies may help too. 2. The skeleton will have pencil marks, tape marks, handling wear, or hooks to hold the bones together. 3. Additions to the skull or painting on the skull. 4. This is the same as 1. This would be medicolegally significant due to the location and context of where the remains were found. |
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Term
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Definition
| The "laws of burial" typically referring to the state of preservation and modification of remains (adj: Taphonomic) |
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Term
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Definition
| rapidly forming bone common to non-human mammals, human infants, and human pathological bone, and appearing as a series of brick-like structures. |
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Term
| If you see a baculum, is it human? |
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Definition
| No. It is the penis bone man mammals have, but humans do not. |
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Term
| Define postmortem interval (PMI). |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| The cooling of the body after death |
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Term
| What is the general rule for Algor mortis? |
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Definition
| the body cools at a rate of about one degree per hour during the first 12 hours (note: this can change depending on the environment) |
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Term
| Define livor mortis (hypostatis) |
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Definition
| It is the pooling of the blood in the body due to gravity and the lack of circulation. It begins typically 30 minutes to 4 hours after death and is most pronounced approximately 12 hours after death. |
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Term
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Definition
| It is the stiffening of the body after due to the depletion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) until the muscle fibers begin deteriorate. It is usually seen in the small muscles of the face and jaw first and begins to set in several hours after death, peaks around 12 hours, and then subsides over the next day with decomposition of the muscle fibers. |
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Term
| What two chemical processes make up decomposition? |
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Definition
| autolysis and putrefaction |
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Term
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Definition
| It is "self-digestion". It is the destruction of cells through the action of their own enzymes and occurs most rapidly in the pancreas and stomach. |
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Term
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Definition
| It is the microbial deterioration of tissues caused by the of proliferation of bacteria associated with the digestive system. It causes color changes in the body to various shaded of green, purple, and brown due to the release of pigments from the breakdown of internal structures |
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Term
| What is intravascular hemolysis? |
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Definition
| It is what causes marbling. Bacteril increases throughout the circulatory system, resulting in a significant darkening of the vessels. |
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Term
| What causes skin slippage? |
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Definition
| It is the shedding of the epidermis from the body caused by the deterioration of the junction between the dermis and epidermis. It is also associated with the early decomposition process. |
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Term
| What is artifactual preservation? |
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Definition
| It refers to the preservation of a body or tissues by natural processes, chemical substances, or by the destruction of bacteria which may significantly alter normal decomposition processes. |
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Term
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Definition
| It is the process of the conversion of fatty tissue to adipocere. It can occur in as little as 3 weeks, but typically onsets at 1-2 months. |
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Term
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Definition
| commonly known as grave wax, typically white and waxy in consistancy, but can vary from white to grey or tan to blak and can be semi-soft or hard. |
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Term
| What is it called when all the soft tissue has decomposed and is no longer there? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| It is a postmortem modification of hard tissues as a response to natural agents in their immediate environment over time. |
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Term
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Definition
| It is the consumption and associated modification of remains by other animals. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
|
Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Adipocere on saponified human remains |
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Term
| Where does saponification usually occur? |
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Definition
| Usually in unoxygenated, alkaline, semi-moist to wet environments and more likely to occur in remains deposited in water. |
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Term
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Definition
| It is any chemical, physical, or biological change to a bone after its initial deposition. |
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Term
| What are necrophagous insects? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the Carnassials? |
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Definition
| They are modified last upper premolars ad first lower molar teeth found in carnivores and are used for shearing. |
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Term
| What is the key indicator that a carnivore was scavenging the body? |
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Definition
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Term
| Explain the accumulated degree days process for determining PMI. |
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Definition
| By using the total body score of decomposition, that number is put into an equation that gives a high and a low number. The degrees for every day since is added until it matches the number from the total body score. That is then your range of days for PMI. |
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Term
| In relation to land, how fast does a body decompose in the water? |
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Definition
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Term
| True or False: Decomposition tends to occur more quickly in fresh water than in salt water due to the lower bacterial content in salt water. |
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Definition
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Term
| What are means by which human agents modify human remains? |
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Definition
| Embalming, cremation, dismemberment for concealment, burning |
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Term
| Why is taphonomy important for skeletal trauma analysis? |
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Definition
| it is important to not mistake damage to tissue due to wildlife or other factors as trauma as it could change the significance of the results, i.e. homicide vs natural |
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Term
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Definition
| Lower strata must have formed before upper strata. Strata which are not horizontal formed horizontally and were later shifted out of their original position. If a burial pit is found in strata, the strata must have formed prior to the burial disturbance. The size and shape of each stratum is determined by natural boundaries it formed in. |
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Term
| What are remains that have been redistributed by scavengers and weather called? |
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Definition
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|
Term
| What does subsurface probing do? |
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Definition
| It reveals differences in soil compaction, which may be indicative of a gravesite |
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Term
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Definition
| It is a primary reference point used for mapping which evidence is then referenced to. |
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Term
| True or False: You want nice perfect edges when digging out a body in Forensic Anthropology. |
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Definition
| False, you want the edges as if the perpetrator had dug the hole; basically mimicking the hole the perpetrator dug. |
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Term
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Definition
| It is the using of distances from fixed points to a single point on a piece of evidence to form a triangle, which fixes it in place. |
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Term
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Definition
| It is the use of angles from fixed points to a single point on a piece of evidence to create a triangle and fix that evidence in place. |
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Term
| What is azimuth mapping? What is one issue with it? |
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Definition
| Using a compass rose to measure the angle and distance an item is from a known reference point or datum. The problem is it is almost impossible to recreate the known reference point |
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Term
| What is one quick way to determine 90 degrees in a baseline? |
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Definition
| Place the end of the tape measure tat the evidence. Next, move/swing the free end of the tape along the baseline. Wherever the free end of the tape makes the shortest distance is a right angle. |
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Term
| What are the 3 recognized methods of skeletal processing when tissue is attached? |
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Definition
| Maceration, carrion insects, and chemical approaches. |
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Term
| Define maceration when discussing the processing of remains. |
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Definition
| the softening of the soft tissues by soaking the remains. Warm water maceration is the most common approach. Cold or room temperature maceration uses the bacteria to do the process and can take weeks or months. |
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Term
| In anthropology what does commingling refer to? |
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Definition
| The presence of more than one body or skeleton, or the intermixing of body parts from more than one individual. |
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Term
| What is the most common approach to estimate the number of individuals in a commingled grave after sorting? |
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Definition
| By suing the minimum number of individuals (MNI). It is an estimate by the most repeated bone. |
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Term
| What are some different ways to resolve commingling? |
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Definition
| Pair-mathing, articulation, osteometric sorting, and taphonomy, and DNA |
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|
Term
| When would you use adhesive to affix skeletal fragments together? |
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Definition
| Only when additional information may be gained. In some cases it may be only necessary to adhere with wax, tape, or clay. |
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Term
| If you were to select an area for DNA to sample from, what should you consider? |
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Definition
| avoid any trauma or features that assist in identification of the bone |
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Term
| Temperature accounts for [blank] percentage of variation in decomposition. |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Bodies where the skin and organs were preserved, but due to the acidic environment the skeleton was not. |
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|
Term
| What are the most prominent scavengers of bones? |
|
Definition
| insects, carnivores, scavengers, birds, rodents |
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Term
| In water what disarticulates first? |
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Definition
|
|
Term
| What are two ways of preservation? |
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Definition
| Mummification and saponification |
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|
