Forensic Anthropology
What Can Be Read in Bone Remains?
How forensic anthropologists can estimate the age, race, gender and height of a dead person by analyzing skeletal remains.
Forensic anthropology studies human skeletal remains that have or are believed to have medicolegal significance, meaning that they are believed to be part of a missing person case or recent crime.
When the remains found are still articulated, it is a sign that the person died at the location where the bones were found. On the other hand, when the bone fragments are not articulated anymore, it is a sign that the remains were moved after the death of the person and decomposition of the body.
A forensic anthropologist can estimate the age, gender, race and height of the dead person by analyzing the bones. These are called primary indicators and although they can’t determine with precision the identity of the dead person, they do help in narrowing down the possible profiles.
Along with primary indicators, identifiers are also used. These can positively identify a person and include:
- DNA profile and fingerprints,
- comparison of ante-mortem and post-mortem dental and medical findings,
