Forensic Anthropology: Canadian Content and Contributions

Abstract

This chapter discusses the relationship between race and ancestry determination in forensic anthropology, and also discusses the methods developed by anthropologists to determine ancestry, and finally addresses some relevant philosophical and ethical issues. It reviews a number of the methods that have been and continue to be used by forensic anthropologists to identify ancestry. Rhine presents a nonmetric skull racing technique, an anthroposcopic method that incorporates a suite of cranial traits. Forensic Anthropology has often been called upon to substantiate typological thinking and to reinforce the type concept itself. Anthropologists have established the obvious fact that people from different parts of the world look different from one another. Ancestry evaluation is an integral part of the forensic examination. Assisting investigators with human remains identification by adding information about ancestry may facilitate and accelerate the process.