An essential foundation for the practice of forensic anthropology This text is the first of its level written in more than twenty years. It serves as a summary and guide to the core material that needs to be mastered and evaluated for the practice of forensic anthropology. The text is divided into three parts that collectively provide a solid base in theory and methodology: Part One, "Background Setting for Forensic Anthropology," introduces the field and discusses the role of forensic anthropology in historic context. Part Two, "Towards Personal Identification," discusses initial assessments of skeletal remains; determining sex, age, ancestral background, and stature; and skeletal markers of activity and life history. Part Three, "Principal Anthropological Roles in Medical-Legal Investigation," examines trauma; the postmortem period; professionalism, ethics, and the expert witness; and genetics and DNA. The critical and evaluative approach to the primary literature stresses the inherent biological constraints on degrees of precision and certainty, and cautions about potential pitfalls. The practical focus, coupled with theoretical basics, make Fundamentals of Forensic Anthropology ideal for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students in biological anthropology as well as forensic scientists in allied fields of medical-legal investigation.

Table of Contents:
Photo Credits ix Acknowledgments xi Series Introduction xiii Part I Background Setting For Forensic Anthropology 1 Introduction 3 Overview of the Field 3 Education and Training 5 Overview of the Book 6 2 The Role of Forensic Anthropology in Historical Context 8 The Somewhat Difficult Birth of a Specialty 8 The Middle Years 11 Approaching Senescence? 15 Part II Towards Personal Identification 3 Initial Assessments of Skeletal Remains 19 Human or Not? 20 Number of Individuals Represented 22 4 Assignment of Sex 25 Criteria for Sex Attribution in the Adult Skeleton 25 Pelvic Traits 26 The Skull 28 Visual Assessment 30 Discriminant Function Analysis 31 The Appendicular Bones 33 Femur 33 Humerus 34 Other Appendicular Elements 35 Miscellaneous Axial Bones 36 Attribution of Sex from the Skeletons of Children 37 Figuring the Error Rate 39 5 Age Estimation 42 The Early Years 43 Dental Age 44 Bone Age 46 Long Bone Length 46 Union of Primary Ossification Centers 48 Epiphyseal Fusion 49 The Adult Years 53 Macroscopic Methods 53 Face of the Pubic Symphysis 53 Sternal Extremity of the Rib 55 The Auricular Surface 56 Cranial Suture Closure 57 Dental Methods 58 Microscopic Methods 60 Other Age Indicators 62 Concluding Remarks on Adult Age Estimation 63 6 Deciphering Ancestral Background 64 The Biological and the Cultural 64 The Biological Context 65 The Cultural Component 65 Skeletal Indicators 66 The Skull 66 The Postcranium 75 7 Stature Estimation 77 How Tall Are You, Really? 77 Estimation of Living Stature from Skeletal Remains 78 The Fully Method 79 Stature Estimation From Long Bone Length 80 Comparison of Methods 82 Reporting Stature Estimates 83 Correcting Stature Estimates for Older Adults 84 Secular Trend 86 Stature Estimates from Fragmentary Long Bones 86 Stature Estimation from Short Bone Length 87 Footwear and Foot Length 87 8 Skeletal Markers of Activity and Life History 89 Childbirth Indicators 90 Handedness 91 Other Activity Markers 92 Partial Medical History 94 Medical Radiology 96 Part III Principal Anthropological Roles In Medical–Legal Investigation 9 Trauma 101 Blunt Force Trauma 102 Cranial Fracture 102 Hyoid Fracture 105 Postcranial Fracture 106 Child Abuse 106 Penetrating and Perforating Trauma 109 Gunshot Wounds 109 Sharp Injuries 114 10 The Postmortem Period 117 Estimation of the Postmortem Interval 117 Postmortem Events 122 Carnivore Scavenging 123 Cremation 124 Has the Body Been Burned? 125 Fracturing 126 Bone Shrinkage 129 Dismemberment 129 Ritual Use of Skeletal Material 130 11 Professionalism, Ethics, and the Expert Witness 132 The Expert Witness 133 Standards and Credentials for Expert Testimony 134 Some Practical Issues 136 Ethics 137 Science in the Courtroom: Two Unfortunate Examples 139 When Good Science is not Presented 139 When Good Science is Ignored 143 12 Genetics and DNA 145 Serology and Mendelian Genetics 146 Forensic DNA Analysis 147, Legal Considerations 150 References 152 Index 175