M1: Osteology, Anthropology
& Forensic Context
Lecture 5
Establishing Forensic Context: Is It Bone, Is It Human Bone?
Is it even bone?
The Forensic o If bone, is the material human, or some other animal?
If human, are the remains of medico-legal significance?
Consultation
[LEC 6]
Few rules because most confusing examples are very idiosyncratic
In Dr. Seidel History…
o A tree branch that looked just like a human clavicle
o Pebbles can look like human tooth roots
Is It Even Bone? o Half-eaten pine nuts is a dead ringer for a human tooth root
o Pot shreds can look like flat bone (but they can help in other
ways)
o The Lick Test
30% of forensic cases involve nonhuman bones
Generally, law enforcement lack the knowledge to deal with this
For the best results, it is important to see the bones in their original
context, not after being placed in a cardboard box and brought to the
station
The key is experience, Experience, EXPERIENCE
Human v. Keys to Success
o ① Experience, lots of it. You must KNOW the human skeleton
Nonhuman and its variance and nuances
o ② Failing this, a good study collection of human bone (infants
too) and lots of different animals (but mostly farm animals). The
latter are easy to get, road kill
o ③ REFERENCE LIBRARY plenty out there, choose the best
photos
General The bones of mammals are denser and tend to feel heavier and more
“polished” than human bones of the same size
Differences
Understanding
reasons for human
differences allow
more thorough
investigation
o This relates
Morphology & to
Architecture
locomotion
Most animals have the same bones, differences in the shape of the
& Forensic Context
Lecture 5
Establishing Forensic Context: Is It Bone, Is It Human Bone?
Is it even bone?
The Forensic o If bone, is the material human, or some other animal?
If human, are the remains of medico-legal significance?
Consultation
[LEC 6]
Few rules because most confusing examples are very idiosyncratic
In Dr. Seidel History…
o A tree branch that looked just like a human clavicle
o Pebbles can look like human tooth roots
Is It Even Bone? o Half-eaten pine nuts is a dead ringer for a human tooth root
o Pot shreds can look like flat bone (but they can help in other
ways)
o The Lick Test
30% of forensic cases involve nonhuman bones
Generally, law enforcement lack the knowledge to deal with this
For the best results, it is important to see the bones in their original
context, not after being placed in a cardboard box and brought to the
station
The key is experience, Experience, EXPERIENCE
Human v. Keys to Success
o ① Experience, lots of it. You must KNOW the human skeleton
Nonhuman and its variance and nuances
o ② Failing this, a good study collection of human bone (infants
too) and lots of different animals (but mostly farm animals). The
latter are easy to get, road kill
o ③ REFERENCE LIBRARY plenty out there, choose the best
photos
General The bones of mammals are denser and tend to feel heavier and more
“polished” than human bones of the same size
Differences
Understanding
reasons for human
differences allow
more thorough
investigation
o This relates
Morphology & to
Architecture
locomotion
Most animals have the same bones, differences in the shape of the
