Forensic Anthropology 2

Distinguishing Age

• Age can be determined by examining particular bones and by looking for the presence or absence of cartilage– Bones do not reach maturity at the same time

Suture Marks

• Suture marks are zigzag marks found on the skull where bones meet

• In immature skulls, areas of softer tissue (soft spot of a baby’s head), gradually become ossified (hardens)

• These marks start to disappear as the bones mature, giving the skull a smoother look

Suture Marks

• There are 3 suture marks: Coronal, Lamboidal, and Squamosal

• We will be looking at 2:– Coronal Suture closes

at the age of 50– Lamboidal suture

begins closing at 21, accelerates at 26, and is closed at 30

Cartilaginous Lines

• As we get older cartilage is slowly replaced with hard compact bones, which causes a cartilaginous line, called a epiphysis

• When cartilage is fully replace, the line is no longer visible

• The completion of growth for each bone varies• Thus, the presence or absence of cartilaginous

lines can be used to determine age

Long Bones **

• When the head of a long bone (femur or humerus) has totally fused to its shaft, age can be determined. Fusing occurs at different ages for different bones.

Distinguishing Height

• Using the measurement of one of the long bones (femur or humerus) approximate height of an individual can be determined

• The formula for determining height difference between male and female and different races (thus if race and sex are known, calculations will be more accurate.

Distinguishing height

– Example: an American Caucasian male bone is found. It is a 49 cm femur. Determine the height

• Height (cm) = 2.32 (49cm) + 65.53• = 113.68 + 65.53 • = 179.21 cm• = 179.21 cm * .39 in/1cm• = 69.89 in = 5 ft 8 in

Distinguishing Race

• Determining race from skeletal remains have become more difficult due to the combing of physical traits between different races

• In forensic science, there are only 3 races– Caucasoid– Negroid– Mongoloid

• The best indicators are the skull and femur

• The Skull (differences between races)– Shape of the eye sockets– Absence or presence of a nasal spine– Measurements of the nasal index– Prognathism (projection of the upper jaw

beyond the lower jaw)– Width of face– Angulation of the jaw and face