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Anthropology Flashcards

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1
Q

Difference between Forensic archaeologist and Forensic anthropologist

A

archaeologists excavate human remains, personal items and artifacts. also study the soil.

anthropologists analyse the remains to create biological profiles of individuals and assist in identification.

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2
Q

roles of a forensics anthropologist at a crime scene.

A
  • Assess whether an item, element or fragment of tissue is human
  • Identify human remains- assess what is present and/or missing
  • Number of individuals
  • Assess biological profile and assist with identification of the remains.
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3
Q

further roles of a forensics anthropologist

A
  • Comment on post-mortem modification of bone, e.g. burning,
    dismemberment, scavenging
  • Assess and record traumatic injuries
  • Reconstruct fragmented bone
  • Comment on post-mortem interval
  • Assist with Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)
  • Write statements and reports and attend court to give evidence
  • Know when to use specialists, eg, radiologist, CT, Magnetic Resonance Imaging to confirm trauma.
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4
Q

which soil type is the worst for preservation of remains?

A

Acid Soils such as peaty soils
* Low pH causes rapid demineralisation of the bone (especially calcium phosphate.
* peaty soils: water logged, highly acidic, organic rich).
Acidity promotes microbial activity and chemical weathering.

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5
Q

5 questions for burials

A
  1. is it human?
  2. how many individuals?
  3. elapsed time since death?
  4. can individual be identified?
  5. cause and manner of death - what occured at the time of death?
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6
Q

exhumation of remains

A

retrieval of remains whether archaeological techniques were used or not.

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7
Q

excavation of remains

A

retrieval of remains using archaological techniques. also reconstruction of the human activity at the site and beyond.

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8
Q

what is the supra orbital ridge? how is sex determined using it?

A

brow bone/ridge above the eyes

more prominent ridges tend to indicate males.

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9
Q

what is the supra orbital margin? how is sex determined using it?

A

the pointy ridges of the eye sockets.

sharper supra orbital margins tend to indicate females.

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10
Q

what is the mastoid process? how is sex determined using it?

A

a bump/corner on the skull behind the ear.

the pointier/more prominent mastoid process’ tend to indicates males.

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11
Q

what is the nuchal crest? how is sex determined using it?

A

a pointy bone coming off the back of the head at the base of the neck.

more prominent nuchal crests tend to indicate males.

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12
Q

what is the mental eminence? how is sex determined using it?

A

a triangular shaped mark on the chin.

more prominent/ taller triangles tend to indicate males.

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13
Q

what is used to determine sex of remains using the skull and mandable?

A
  • supra orbital ridge
  • supra orbital margin
  • nuchal crest
  • mastoid process
  • mental eminence

can also use the angle of the mandable, not a go to though.

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14
Q

what is used to determine sex of remains using the pelvic bones?

A
  • pelvic cavity
  • pubic arch/sub-pubic angle or concavity
    for both: wider, more open = female. narrower = male
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15
Q

how is the pelvis used for age estimation?

A
  • pubic ridge - texture (smoother = older)
  • vetral arch - wear and tear
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16
Q

what are the aims of forensic archaeological investigations?

A
  1. locating and recovering human remains
  2. establish forensic significance at the scene
  3. gathering evidence for legal proceedings
  4. contributing to humanitarian investigations ‘
  5. chain of custody.
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17
Q

the four stages of archaeological recovery.

A
  1. location - searching for remains above or below groud
  2. mapping - grid the site to ensure detailed documentation of recovery.
  3. excavation (where appropriate)
  4. collection - properpacking of remains for further lab-based analysis.
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18
Q

types of search areas

Study These Flashcards
A

open
obstructed
submerged

19
Q

search options

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A

aerial reconnaissanse (planes and drones)
walking grids
remote sensoring

20
Q

what are archaeologists looking for under ground?

Study These Flashcards
A

disturbed soils
anomolous: ground local topography
moisture content: plants

21
Q

what can anomolous areas of exceeded plant growth be a possible sign of?

Study These Flashcards
A

the burial of an uncovered body beneath such plant growth

22
Q

what can anomolous areas of stunted plant growth be a possible sign of?

Study These Flashcards
A

the burial of a covered body beneath such plant growth

23
Q

indicators of surface or buried remains to look out for when locating remains.

Study These Flashcards
A
  • skeletal remains or soft tissue
  • clothing, personnal objects and weapons
  • decomposition, odor or staining
  • insect activity
  • loose rubbish or brush heaps
  • animal activity and scavenging
  • materials used for wrapping a body
24
Q

what are the three types of probes and shovels?

Study These Flashcards
A

T-bar - qualitative change in soil compactness.
Penetrometer - quantitative changes in soil compactness
soil-coring - check for mixing of soil horizons

25
negatives of shovels and probes
* not useful over large areas * can be destructive used as last resort for manual inspection
26
steps of mapping the recovering site
* set up a datum on a permanent structure (rock) GPS coordinates of point * set up a grid over the area of the remains 3-4 meters square four wooden posts connected with string (NS,EW) * tape measure from the height of string ro document the location of each artefact or biological item * detailed photography
27
recovery of surface remains
1. expose and record recovery area 2. establish spatial controls and record secondary surface deposits 3. expose and record primary surface deposit remains for recording and mapping -remove loose debris one grid area at a time -remove/trim surfae vegitation to expose remains for recording and mapping. 4. record and map all exposed evidence 5. remove surface remains 6. examine soil layer beneath surface deplosits. 7. remove any buried remains/evidence.
28
recovery of buried remains
1. identify and record burial outline 2. excavate and record burial feature 3. working from corner and across grid, remove soil in 5 cm layers using hand trowel and brushes. 4. screen all soil removed only remove elements ince mapper and photographed. record and excavate floor and burial feature.
29
what is the harris matrix
the harris matrix is a diagram used in archaeology to show visual representation of the chronological relationships between different statigraphuic units (contexts) and an archaeological site. (BLOCKS, NUMBERS AND LINES)
30
if the skull and pelvis are not present in recovered remains, how can the sex of an individual be determined
using the: - femur: diameter of head and bicondylar width - humerus: diamter of head - scapular: glenoid cavity - tibia: diameter of shaft
31
definition of mass burial/grave
a mass of bodies (organised or disorganised) in intimate contact with each other and deposited in the same grave
32
define multiple burial
mass burial where the bodies are buried simultaneously
33
define collective burial
mass burial where the deposition of multiple bodies is built up over a period of time.
34
what is a common feature of mass burials
differences in preservation of individuals and seperate remains of individuals difference is greter the more commingled the remains also well as the more contact.
35
what are the three different types of graves?
inhumation - burial in simple earth graves cists - stone lined graves barrows - mounds of earth or stone
36
motives for disposal
criminal and disaster
37
Harris matrix: Law of Superposition
**upper units of stratification are younger and the lower are older**, for each must have been deposited on, or created by the removal of, a pre-existing mass of archaeological stratification.
38
Harris matrix: Law of original continuity
Any archaeological deposit, as originally laid down, or any interfacial feature, as originally created, **will be bounded by a basin of deposition, or may thin down to a feather edge (bound by some sort of edge)** . Therefore, if any edge of a deposit or interfacial feature is exposed in a vertical view, a part of its original extent must have been removed by excavation or erosion, and its continuity must be sought, or its absence explained.
39
Harris matrix: Law of horizontality
**Any archaeological layer deposited in an unconsolidated form will tend towards a horizontal position**. Strata which are found with tilted surfaces were originally deposited that way, or lie in conformity with the contours of a pre-existing basis of deposition.
40
Harris matrix: Law of stratigraphical succession
** A unit of archaeological stratification takes its place in the stratigraphic sequence of a site from its position between the undermost (or earlier) of the units which lie above it and the uppermost (or latest) of all the units ** which lie below it and with which the unit has a physical contact, all other superpositional relationships being redundant.
41
what is the difference between an open and closer disaster?
open disaster: the number and identities of deceased individuals are unknown. closed disaster: number and identities of deceased individuals are known or immediately establsihed.
42
What are the four main stages of the DVI process?
scene postmortem antemortem reconsiliation
43
The forensic archaeologist will need to bear four key considerations in mind when planning the processing of the scene. What are these four key considerations?
1. documentation and context 2. taphonomic processess 3. chain of custody 4. saftey and security

Archaeology (5 decks)

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