FORENSIC

ANTHROPOLOGY
 Forensic Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of Human skeleton.

Forensic Anthropology is the examination of

human skeletal remains for law enforcement
agencies to determine the identity of unidentified
bones.

This field assists in the identification of deceased

individuals whose remains are decomposed,
burned, mutilated or otherwise unrecognizable.
Taphonomy is the study of how organisms
decay after death - post mortem processes on
the skeletal remains.
 Role of Forensic Anthropology

Identifying Human remains Determining Cause of Death Expert Testimony in Court

It involves examination of the Forensic anthropologists can
Analyzing skeletal
skeletal remains for signs of present their findings and analysis
remains, they can trauma, such as fractures or to help the jury understand the
determine the age, sex, gunshot wounds, and can significance of the evidence.
ancestry, and stature of provide insights into the Their expertise in human skeletal
the individual. circumstances surrounding the remains and the interpretation of
death. trauma can be crucial in
This information can This information is valuable in supporting the prosecution or
building a case and establishing defense's case.
help in establishing the
the cause of death.
identity of the deceased
and aid in the
investigation.
 Scope of Forensic Anthropology

The scope of forensic anthropology in criminal

investigations includes:

➢ Estimating the age, sex, and stature of the deceased

individual.
➢ Identifying skeletal trauma and determining the cause of
death.
➢ Assessing postmortem interval (time since death) and the
circumstances surrounding the death.
➢206
Providing
uniqueexpert
bonestestimony
– No twoin skeletons
court proceedings.
are Identical!
 Importance of Analysing Bones..

➢ most durable and long-lasting part of the human body

➢ Even when other soft tissues have decomposed or been destroyed, bones provide valuable clues and
➢ Is this a human
evidence bone?
that can help solve crimes and bring justice to the deceased and their families
➢ Age, Sex, Race (ancestry) and Height
➢ Approx time since death
➢ Trauma that caused the death
➢ Trauma caused to the person before death (life span)
➢ Individual characteristics that help in Identification
➢ Number of people whose bones are present at the site
 Scenarios
The evaluation of the dead/human remains is of prime importance in mass disasters, including
natural disasters, armed conflicts, mass killings, terror attacks, war crimes.
➢ The MH370 air crash
➢ The World Trade Center disaster
➢ The Kargil war
➢ The Siachen conflict between India and Pakistan
➢ Uttarakhand flash floods
➢ Indian Ocean Tsunami
Ajnala Skeletal Remains: Skeletal
Raj Agarwal case - Bones found in Daund village, Pune remains excavated from an
2 DNA tests were conducted on the skeletal remains in
abandoned well in Ajnala, India,
April and June 2004. While the first test was negative,
the second stated that the bones could be “biologically were reportedly those of 282 Indian
related” to the father. soldiers killed in 1857. Forensic
anthropology played a vital role in
authenticating historical events.
Skeletal Structure
 Estimation of Time since death

➢ Amount & condition of soft tissue, preservation of the bones, odour, any carnivore/insect activity.
➢ Temperature of the body and the surroundings at the time of death
➢ Penetrating wounds
➢ Humidity or soil acidity
➢ Water retention
➢ Insect activity gives the best estimation
➢ Longer the time since death, the more difficult it is to determine the time interval since death
 Determination of Gender
Forensic anthropologists can use various anatomical differences between male and female bones to
determine the sex of an individual. These differences are primarily related to the pelvis and the skull.

1. Pelvis

The female pelvis is generally wider and shallower compared to the male pelvis. This difference
allows for childbirth.

Male pelvis Female pelvis

 Determination of Gender
2. Skull

The mastoid process (jaw) is wide in males v/s narrow n rounded in females.

The forehead slope is wider in males.

 Estimation of Age

Our bones undergo significant changes with age!

➢ Born with 350 bones that fuse to 206 bones as we grow!
➢ Loss of calcium
➢ Decrease in protein
➢ Reduction in collagen
➢ Loss of height
➢ Decrease in chest diameter
➢ Reduction in bone mass - occurs between the ages of 30 - 40
➢ As reduction begins women lose about 8% of their skeletal mass every decade while
men lose 3%
 Estimation of Age
➢ Estimate the age of sub-adults (individuals under the age of 18) - bone formation and growth
and dental formation and eruption.
➢ Estimate the age of adults - cranial stature closure, changes to pelvic bones and tooth wear
➢ It is easier to estimate the age-at-death of sub-adults because growth occurs in a known
pattern
➢ Age estimation is not an exact science – age estimates are usually expressed in a range of years
e.g. this individual was 40-50 years of age at the time of his death.
➢ Dental development is another important indicator of age. By examining the eruption and
growth of teeth, forensic anthropologists can estimate the age of an individual, especially in
younger individuals.
➢ The closure and fusion of cranial sutures can also provide clues about age. As individuals age,
 Estimation of Age
The surfaces of this joint
have been found to exhibit
changes in roughness and
texture that correspond to
broad age ranges.
Estimation of Race / Ancestry

➢ Skull shape
➢ Nasal Index
➢ Cheekbones
➢ Dental morphology
➢ Femur length
➢ Pelvic Structure
 Estimation of Stature (height)

➢ A few bones can tell about the height of a person.

➢ This is possible due to the ratios of the bones. It has been determined that there are
➢ Since men and women have different proportions of long bone length to total body height,
relationships between the femur, tibia, humerus, and radius and a person’s height.
we have a different formula for each sex

BONES FEMALES MALES

FEMUR length*2.21 + 61.41 length*2.23 + 69.08

TIBIA length*2.53 + 72.57 length*2.39 + 81.68

HUMERUS length*3.14 + 64.97 length *2.97 + 73.57

RADIUS length*3.87 + 73.50 length*3.65 + 80.40

 Estimation of Physical trauma

➢ Forensic anthropologists employ various techniques to analyze trauma, including macroscopic

examination, microscopic analysis, and imaging techniques. By combining these methods, they can
provide valuable information to investigators and contribute to the understanding of the
circumstances surrounding a person's death.
➢ Techniques such as visual inspection, X-rays, and CT scans to identify and analyze blunt force
trauma.
➢ Examination of the shape, depth, and location of these injuries to determine the type of weapon
used and the force applied.
 Estimation of Physical trauma
Sharp force trauma involves injuries
caused by sharp-edged or pointed Thermal trauma refers to injuries caused by
objects, such as knives or blades. This extreme heat or fire. Forensic
type of trauma can result in stab anthropologists can identify signs of thermal
wounds or incised wounds. trauma, such as charring, calcination, and
Sharp Force Trauma color changes in the bones.
Thermal Trauma

Blunt Force Trauma Gun shot wound

Blunt force trauma refers to Gunshot trauma occurs when a
injuries caused by a blunt object firearm is discharged, resulting
or surface. These injuries can in penetrating injuries. Forensic
include fractures, contusions, anthropologists analyze gunshot
and lacerations. wounds to determine the caliber
and type of firearm used, as well
as the trajectory of the bullet..
 Forensic Odontology
Forensic dentistry or forensic odontology involves the handling, examination, and evaluation of dental
evidence in a criminal justice context.
Forensic dentists assist investigative agencies in identifying human remains, particularly in cases when
identifying information is otherwise scarce or nonexistent—for instance, identifying burn victims by
consulting the victim's dental records.

DNA extraction
Teeth contain a great source of DNA since they are very chemically and physically resistant to extreme
conditions. This method is especially useful in cases where other DNA sources are not accessible, for
example in burned victims. Teeth can be used to create a DNA profile in order to identify unknown deceased
individuals.
 Facial Reconstruction

Forensic facial reconstruction (or forensic facial approximation) is the process of recreating the face
of an individual (whose identity is often not known) from their skeletal remains through an
amalgamation of artistry, anthropology, osteology, and anatomy.
 Superimposition
Craniofacial superimposition is a technique used in the field of forensic anthropology to assist in the
analysis of an unknown skull.
The process involves superimposing an image of the recovered skull over an ante mortem image of the
suspected individual.
 Conclusion
➢ Forensic anthropology plays a crucial role in criminal investigations by providing valuable insights
into human remains.
➢ It helps in determining the identity, cause of death, and other important details that can aid in
solving crimes.
➢ The Indian Penal Code (IPC) recognizes the importance of forensic anthropology and has provisions
related to the handling and analysis of human remains.
➢ These laws ensure that the evidence gathered through forensic anthropology is admissible in court
and can be used to bring criminals to justice.
➢ It helps in providing closure to families of victims and ensures that the guilty are held accountable
for their actions.
➢ By understanding the significance of forensic anthropology, we can continue to improve our
investigative techniques and strengthen the criminal justice system.
➢ Forensic Anthropologist use the Indian Evidence Act Section 32 - cases in which statement of relevant
fact by person who is dead or cannot be found, etc., is relevant
➢ Section 45 - Opinion of Expert