Human or Not? A Problem in Skeletal Identification

Abstract

Frequently, bones submitted to physical anthropologists by law emforcement agencies as human prove to be nonhuman. This results in a waste of time, money, and effort of all concerned. A course has been designed that could be offered by a physical anthropologist either as a workshop or as part of a training program for law enforcement officers. This would consist of teaching through lectures and laboratory work the techniques utilized by physical anthropologists to differentiate human from nonhuman bone, the anatomical relationships of bones of the human skeleton, and methods of recording bones and artifacts as they are recovered so that their original positions are documented both in relationship to each other and to the terrain. Training in these techniques would aid forensic investigators and amplify the kinds of information available to physical anthropological consultants asked to identify skeletal remains recovered by members of a law enforcement agency.