Abstract
A problem forensic archaeologists have encountered during the investigation of mass graves is the commingling of human remains. Commingling can consist of disarticulated body parts and can be more complex when remains are skeletonized or fragmented. Methods exist to reassociate commingled remains; however, some are costly, while others are time consuming. It has been shown that mapping the three-dimensional location of body parts in a mass grave is useful for reassociation based on proximity of the closest missing element. The present study presents a method to reassociate commingled skeletal remains in a controlled context using readily available GIS technology that is low cost and time efficient. A mass grave with skeletal commingling was recreated using domestic pigs (Sus scrofa). The provenience of skeletal elements was mapped with a total station. Spatial relationships were then analyzed using ArcGIS. The results showed that the closest missing element was a match in 91.89% of cases.
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