Course Description			Course Outline and PPTs		Reading List
HTML format			HTML format (w/PPTs)		HTML format
PDF format			PDF format		PDF format
			Exam Study Guides
		Midterm Exam		Final Exam
Infracranial Skeleton Review			Laboratory Exercises		Cranial Skeleton Review
Animal or Human?	Trauma Indication	Age Determination: Subadults	Age Determination: Adults	Sex Determination	Ancestry	Stature	Forensic Case: Jane/John Doe

Course Schedule and Reading Assignments

Required Texts:

Steven N. Byers (2005) Introduction to Forensic Anthropology 2nd ed. Allyn and Bacon, Boston.

Steven N. Byers  and Susan M. T. Myster (2005) Forensic Anthropology Laboratory Manual. Allyn and Bacon, Boston.

Jan. 9 Introduction, Organization

Jan 11 Forensic Science and Forensic Anthropology

Reading: Byers Ch. 1
Galloway, A. and T.L. Simmons 1997. Education in forensic anthropology: appraisal and outlook. Journal of Forensic Sciences 42(5):796-801.      

Ubelaker, D.H. 2000. Methodological considerations in the forensic applications of human skeletal biology. In M.A. Katzenberg and S.R. Saunders (eds.) Biological Anthropology of the Human Skeleton. Wiley-Liss, Inc. pp. 41-67.

Jan 16 Lab 1: Review of Osteology: The Skull and Teeth

Reading: Byers Ch. 2; Byers and Myster Ch. 2

Jan 18 Lab 1: Review of Osteology: Infracranial skeleton

Reading: Byers Ch. 2 and Byers and Myster Ch. 2

Jan 23 Forensic context: human vs. animal; recent vs. old; bone vs. non-bone

Reading:

Byers Ch. 3

Brooks, S.T. and R. H. Brooks 1984. Problems of burial exhumation, historical and forensic aspects.  In Human Identification Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Rathbun, T.A. and J.E. Buikstra (eds.).  Springfield: C.C. Thomas, pp. 64-95.

Hoffman, M. 1984.  Identification of nonskeletonized bear paws and human feet.  In  Human Identification Studies in Forensic Anthropology, Rathbun, T.A. and J.E. Buikstra   (eds.). Springfield: C.C. Thomas, pp. 96-106.

Owsley, D.W., A.M. Mires and M.S. Keith 1985. Case involving differentiation of deer and human bone fragments. Journal of Forensic Sciences 30:572-2578.

Rogers, T.L. 2005. Recognition of cemetery remains in a forensic context. Journal of Forensic Sciences 50:5-11.

Steadman, D.W. 2003. The pawn shop mummified head: discriminating among forensic, historic, and ancient contexts. In Steadman, D.W. (ed.) Hard Evidence. Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Prentice Hall, pp. 212-226.

Willey P. and P. Leach 2003 Ch. 13. The skull on the lawn. Trophies, taphonomy, and forensic anthropology.  In Steadman, D.W. (Ed.) Hard Evidence. Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Prentice Hall. Pp. 176-188.
                       
Jan 25 Recovery scene methods: locating, excavating, mass disasters

Reading:

Byers  Ch. 4

Buck, S.C. 2003 Searching for graves using geophysical technology: Field test with ground penetrating radar, magnetometry, and electrical resistivity. Journal of Forensic Sciences 48:5-11.

Dirkmaat, D.C. and Adocasio, J.M. 1997. The role of archaeology in the recovery and interpretation of human remains from an outdoor forensic setting. In Haglund, W.D. and M. H. Sorg (eds.) Forensic Taphonomy. The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains. CRC Press, New York, pp. 39-64.

Mann, R.W., B.E. Anderson, T.D. Holland, D.R. Rankin, and J.E. Webb, Jr. 2003 Unusual “Crime” scenes: The role of forensic anthropology in recovery and identifying American MIAS. In Steadman, D.W. (Ed.) Hard Evidence. Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Prentice Hall. Pp. 108-116.

Sauer, N.J., W.A. Lovis, M.E. Blumer, and J. Fillion. 2003. The contributions of archaeology and physical anthropology to the John McRae case. In Steadman, D.W. (Ed.) Hard Evidence. Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Prentice Hall. Pp. 117-126.

Saul, F. P. And J. M. Saul 2003 Ch. 20. Planes, trains, and fireworks. The evolving role of the forensic anthropologists in mass fatality incidents. In Steadman, D.W. (Ed.) Hard Evidence. Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Prentice Hall. Pp. 266-277.

Wolf, D. J. 1986. Forensic anthropology scene investigation. In K. J. Reichs (ed.)  Forensic Osteology.  Advances in the Identification of Human Remains, pp 3-23.  Springfield IL:  C.C. Thomas.

Jan 30 Lab 2: Animal vs. human; contemporary vs. non-contemporary

Reading:

Byers and Myster Ch. 3

Feb 1 Estimating time since death

Reading:

Byers Ch. 5

Galloway, A. 1997. The process of decomposition: a model for the Arizona-Sonoran Desert.  In Haglund, W.D. and M. H. Sorg (eds.) Forensic Taphonomy. The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains. CRC Press, New York, pp. 139-150.

Haskell, N.H., R. D. Hall, V.J. Cervenka, M.A. Clark 1997. On the body: Insects’ life stage presence and their postmortem artifacts. In: Haglund W.D., M.H. Sorg eds. Forensic Taphonomy. New York: CRC Press, pp. 415-448.

Komar D.A. 1998. Decay rates in a cold climate region: A review of cases involving advanced decomposition from the medical examiner’s office in Edmonton, Alberta. Journal of Forensic Sciences 43:57-61.

Love, J.C. and M. K. Marks 2003 Ch. 12 Taphonomy and time. Estimating the postmortem interval. In Steadman, D.W. (Ed.) Hard Evidence. Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Prentice Hall. Pp. 160-175.

Spennemann, H.R. and B. Franke 1995. Decomposition of buried human bodies and associated death scene materials on coral atolls in the tropical Pacific. Journal of Forensic Sciences  40:456-467.

Bass, W. M.  1984.  Time interval since death: A difficult decision.  In: Rathbun, T.A., Buikstra, J. E. eds.  Human Identification.  Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology.  Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas, pp. 136-147.

Feb 6 Initial treatment: preparation, inventory, commingling

Reading:

Byers Ch. 6

Buikstra, J.E., C.C. Gordon, and L. St. Hoyme  1984. The case of the severed skull. Individuation in forensic anthropology. In Rathbun, T.A. and J.E. Buikstra (eds.) Human Identification:  Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology, pp. 121-147.  Springfield: C.C. Thomas.

Byrd, J.E. and B. J. Adams 2003 Osteometric sorting of commingled human remains. Journal of Forensic Sciences 48: 717724.

Robbins, L.M. 1998. Hidden problems in identifying unknown skeletons in the Southeastern United States. In K. J. Reichs (ed.) Forensic Osteology. Advances in Identification of Human Remains.  Charles C.

Thomas, Springfield, IL, pp.24-32.

Stephens, B.G. 1979. A simple method for preparing human skeletal remains for forensic examination. Journal of Forensic Sciences 24:660-662.

Feb 8 Ancestry

Reading:

Byers  Ch. 7

Brace, C.L. 1995. Region does not mean “race”: reality versus convention in forensic anthropology. Journal of Forensic Sciences 40(2):171-175.

Gill, G. W. 1998.  Craniofacial criteria in the skeletal attribution of race. In K. J. Reichs (ed.) Forensic Osteology. Advances in Identification of Human Remains. 2nd ed. pp.293-317. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.

Ousley, S. D. And R. L. Jantz 1998. The forensic data bank: documenting skeletal trends in the United States. In K. J. Reichs (ed.) Forensic Osteology. Advances in Identification of Human Remains. 2nd ed. pp.441-458. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.

Rhine, S. 1990. Non-metric skull racing. In G.W. Gill and S. Rhine (eds.) Skeletal Attribution of Race: Methods for Forensic Anthropology. Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. Anthropological Papers No. 4. Pp. 9-20.

Ross, A.H., D.E. Slice, D.H. Ubelaker, and A. B. Falsetti 2004 Population affinities of 19th century Cuban crania: Implications for Identification criteria in south Florida Cuban Americans. Journal of Forensic Sciences 49:11-16.

Sauer, N.J. 1992. Forensic anthropology and the concept of race: if races don’t exist, why are forensic anthropologists so good at identifying them: Social Science and Medicine 34 (2):107-111.

Feb 13 Lab 3 Ancestry

Reading:

Byers and Myster Ch. 7

Feb 15 Sex determination, childbirth

Reading:

Byers Ch. 8.

France, D.L. 1998. Ch.8. Observations and metric analysis of sex in the skeleton.  In K. J. Reichs (ed.) Forensic Osteology. Advances in Identification of Human Remains. 2nd ed. pp.163-186. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.

Giles, E. 1970. Discriminant function sexing of the human skeleton. In Stewart, T.D. (Ed.) Personal Identification in Mass Disasters, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 99-107.

Schutkowski, H. 1993.  Sex determination of infant and juvenile skeletons: I. Morphognostic features.  American Journal of Physical Anthropology 90:199-205.

Suchey, J.M., D. V. Wiseley, D. F. Green, and T.T. Noguchi 1979.  Analysis of dorsal pitting in the os pubis in an extensive sample of modern American females.  American Journal of Physical Anthropology 51: 517-540.

Walsh-Haney, H. C. Katzmarzyk, and A.B. Falsetti. 1999. Identification of human skeletal remains: was he a she or she a he?  In Fairgrieve, S. I. (ed.) 1999. Forensic Osteological Analysis. A Book of Case Studies. C.C. Thomas, Springfield, IL, pp. 17-35.

Feb 20 Lab 4: Sex determination

Reading:

Byers and Myster Ch. 8

Feb 22 Age determination: subadults

Reading:

Byers Ch. 9

Johnston, F.E. and Zimmer L.O. 1989. Assessment of growth and age in the immature skeleton. In  İşcan, M. Y. and K. A. R. Kennedy (eds.).  Reconstruction of Life from the Skeleton, pp. 11-21.  New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc.

Kósa, F.  1989.  Age estimation from the fetal skeleton.  In İşcan, M.Y.(ed.)  1989  Age Markers in the Human Skeleton, pp. 21-54.  Springfield, IL:  C.C. Thomas.

Ubelaker, D. H.  1989.  The estimation of age at death from immature human bone.  In İşcan, M.Y. (ed.)  1989  Age Markers in the Human Skeleton, pp. 55-70.  Springfield, IL:  C.C. Thomas.

Weaver, D.S. 1998. Forensic aspects of fetal and neonatal skeletons. In K. J. Reichs (ed.) Forensic Osteology. Advances in Identification of Human Remains. 2nd ed. pp.187-203. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.

Feb 27 Lab 5: Age determination sub-adults

Reading:

Byers  and Myster Ch. 8

Mar 1 Age Determination: Adults

Reading:

Byers Ch. 9

İşcan, M. Y. and S.R. Loth 1989. Osteological manifestations of age in the adult.  In İşcan, M. Y. and K. A. R. Kennedy (eds.).  Reconstruction of Life from the Skeleton, pp. 23-40.  New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc.

Lovejoy, D.O., R.S. Meindl, T.R. Pryzbeck and R.P. Mensforth  1985.  Chronological metamorphosis of the auricular surface of the ilium:  a new method for the determination of age at death. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 68:15-28.

Meindl, R.S. and C.O. Lovejoy  1985.  Ectocranial suture closure:  a revised method of the determination of skeletal age at death based on the lateral-anterior surface.  American Journal of Physical Anthropology 68:57-66.

Stout, S.D. 1998 The application of histological techniques for age determination. In K. J. Reichs (ed.) Forensic Osteology. Advances in Identification of Human Remains. 2nd ed. pp.237-252. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.

Suchey, J.M. and D. Katz 1998. Application of pubic age determination in a forensic setting. In K. J. Reichs (ed.) Forensic Osteology. Advances in Identification of Human Remains. 2nd ed. pp.204-236. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.

Mar 6 Lab 6: Age Determination: adults

Reading:

Byers and Myster Ch. 9

Mar 8 Mid-term: written and practical

Mar 13 Fieldtrip POW/MIA Lab

Mar 15 Stature, body weight, handedness

Reading:

Byers (2005) Ch. 10.  

Galloway, A., 1988. Estimating actual height in the older individual.  Journal of Forensic Sciences, 43: 126-136.

Ousley, S.  1995.  Should we estimate biological or forensic stature.  Journal of Forensic Sciences, 40: 768-773.

Sjøvold, T. 1990. Estimation of stature from long nones utilizing the line of organic correlation. Human Evolution 5:431-447.

Stewart, T.D. 1979  Essentials of Forensic Anthropology.  C.C. Thomas, Springfield, Ill. Ch. 10. Estimation of Body Weight (pp. 222-226), Ch. 12 Indications of Handedness (pp. 239-244).

Trotter, M. 1970. Estimation of Stature from Intact Long Limb Bones. In Personal Identification in Mass Disasters, edited by T. D. Stewart, pp. 71-83. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

Mar 20 Lab 7: Stature

Reading:

Byers and Myster Ch. 10

Mar 22 Cause and manner of death, trauma

Reading:

Byers Ch. 11

Frayer, D.W. and Bridgens, J.G. 1985. Stab wounds and personal identity determined from skeletal remains: a case from Kansas. Journal of Forensic Sciences 30(1):232-238.

Hart, G.O. 2005 Fracture pattern interpretation in the skull: Differentiation blunt force from ballistics trauma using concentric fractures. Journal of Forensic Sciences 50:1276-1281.

Pollanen M.S. 1999. Forensic osteology of strangulation.  In Fairgrieve, S. I. (ed.) 1999. Forensic Osteological Analysis. A Book of Case Studies. C.C. Thomas, Springfield, IL, pp. 183-198.

Smith, O.C., Pope, E.J. and S.A. Symes 2003 Ch. 10. Look until you see. Identification of trauma in skeletal material. In Steadman, D.W. (Ed.) Hard Evidence. Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Prentice Hall. Pp. 138-159.

Sauer, N.J. 1998 The timing of injuries and manner of death: Distinguishing among antemortem, perimortem, and postmortem trauma. In K. J. Reichs (ed.) Forensic Osteology. Advances in Identification of Human Remains. 2nd ed. pp.321-332. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.

Apr 3 Lab 8: Trauma

Reading:

Byers and Myster Ch. 10

Apr 5 Antemortem changes: paleopathology, occupational markers, positive identification
Reading:

Byers Ch. 15

Benfer, R.A. and H.L. Restaure 1999. The identification of the remains of Don Francisco Pizarro. In Fairgrieve, S. I. (ed.) 1999. Forensic Osteological Analysis. A Book of Case Studies. C.C. Thomas, Springfield, IL, pp. 107-128.

Gruspier, K.L. 1999. Pathological changes in human skeletal remains: before, during, or after?  In Fairgrieve, S. I. (ed.) 1999. Forensic Osteological Analysis. A Book of Case Studies. C.C. Thomas, Springfield, IL, pp. 199-225.

Owsley, D.W., R.W. Mann, R.E. Chapman, E. Moore, and W.A. Cox 1993.  Positive identification in a case of intentional extreme fragmentation. Journal of Forensic Sciences 38(4):985-996.

Ubelaker, D. H. 1984.  Positive identification from the radiographic comparison of frontal sinus patterns.  In Rathbun, T.A. and J.E. Buikstra (eds.) Human Identification:  Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology, pp. 399-411  Springfield: C.C. Thomas.

Melbye, J., D. Chiasson, Wood, R., and B. Blenkinsop. 1999. Death on the Danforth. In Fairgrieve, S. I. (ed.) 1999. Forensic Osteological Analysis. A Book of Case Studies. C.C. Thomas, Springfield, IL, pp. 89-107.

Steadman D.W., F.J. Adams, and L.W. Konigsberg 2006. Statistical basis for positive identification in forensic anthropology. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 131:15-26.

Apr 10 Postmortem changes: animal scavenging, fire, etc.

Reading:

Byers  Ch. 16.

Correia, P. M. M. 1997 Fire modification of bone: a review of the literature.   In Haglund, W.D. and M. H. Sorg (eds.) Forensic Taphonomy. The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains. CRC Press, New York, pp. 275-317.

Haglund, W. D.  1997a  Dogs and coyotes: postmortem involvement with human remains.  In: Haglund, W. D., Sorg, M. H., eds.  Forensic Taphonomy.  New York: CRC Press, pp. 367-381. 

Haglund W. D. 1997b Rodents and human remains.  In: Haglund, W. D., Sorg, M. H., eds.  Forensic Taphonomy.  New York: CRC Press, pp. 405-414.

Reichs, K. J.  1998. Postmortem dismemberment: recovery, analysis and interpretation.  In:  Reichs, K. J., ed.  Forensic Osteology Advances in the Identification of Human Remains, 2nd ed.  Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas, pp. 353-388.

Holland, T.D., Anderson, B.E. and Mann, R.W. 1997. Human variables in the postmortem alteration of human bone: examples from U.S. war casualties. In Haglund, W.D. and M. H. Sorg (eds.) Forensic Taphonomy. The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains. CRC Press, New York, pp. 263-274.

Ubelaker, D. 1997 Taphonomic applications in forensic anthropology. In Haglund, W.D. and M. H. Sorg (eds.) Forensic Taphonomy. The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains. CRC Press, New York, pp. 77-90.

Apr 12 Forensic odontology

Reading:   

Byers  Ch. 18.

Woolridge, E. D.  1980.  Ch. 9. Forensic Dentistry.  In Eckert, W. G. (ed.).  Introduction to Forensic Sciences.  St. Louis: C. V. Mosby Co., pp. 114-154.

Apr 17 Lab 9: Forensic case: Jane/John Doe        

Apr 19 Forensic case: Jane/John Doe

Apr 24 Reconstruction of identity: facial reconstruction, superimposition, DNA analysis

Reading:

Byers Ch. 17 and 18

Caldwell, P. 1986.  New questions (and some answers) on the facial reproduction techniques. In K. J. Reichs (ed.) Forensic Osteology, pp. 229-255. Charles C. Thomas.

Grüner, O.  1993.  Identification of skulls: a historical review and practical applications.  In  M. Y. İşcan and R. P. Helmer (eds.) Forensic Analysis of the Skull, pp. 29-45. Wiley-Liss.

Parsons, T. J. and Weedn, V.W. 1997.  Preservation and recovery of DNA in postmortem specimens and trace samples. In Haglund, W.D. and M. H. Sorg (eds.) Forensic Taphonomy. The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains. CRC Press, New York, pp. 109-138.

Melton, T. 2003 Ch. 15.  Mitochondrial DNA: Solving the mystery of Anna Anderson. In Steadman, D.W. (Ed.) Hard Evidence. Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Prentice Hall. Pp. 205-211.

Apr 26 Ethics, expert witness, legal matters

Reading:

Byers Ch. 19

Galloway, A., W. H. Birkby, T. Kahana, and L. Fulginiti  1990.  Anthropology and the law: legal responsibilities of forensic anthropologists.  Yearbook of Physical Anthropology 33:39-57.

Rogers, T.L. and T.T. Allard 2004. Expert testimony and positive identification of human remains through cranial suture patterns. Journal of Forensic Sciences 49:203-207.

Skinner, M. 1999 Cremated remains and expert testimony in a homicide case.  In Fairgrieve, S. I. (ed.). Forensic Osteological Analysis. A Book of Case Studies. C.C. Thomas, Springfield, IL, pp. 151-172.

Sundick, R.I. 1984. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, or where did the skeleton go? In Rathbun, T.A. and J.E. Buikstra (eds.)  Human Identification:  Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology, pp. 412-423.  Springfield: C.C. Thomas.

May 1 Human rights, Forensic Applications

Reading:

Burns, K. 1998. Forensic anthropology and human rights. In K. J. Reichs (ed.) Forensic Osteology. Advances in Identification of Human Remains. 2nd ed. pp.63-85. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.

Bunch, A.W. and S.C. Shine 2003 Ch. 21. Science contextualized. The identification of a U.S. MIA of the Vietnam War form two perspectives .In Steadman, D.W. (Ed.) Hard Evidence. Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Prentice Hall. Pp. 278-289.

Komar, D. 2003. Lessons from Srebrenica: The contributions and limitation of physical anthropology in identifying victims of war crimes. Journal of Forensic Sciences 48:713- 716.

Doretti, M. And C. C. Snow 2003 Forensic anthropology and human rights: the Argentine experience. In Steadman, D.W. (Ed.) Hard Evidence. Case Studies in Forensic Anthropology. Prentice Hall. Pp. 290-310.

Steadman, D.W. 2005. The scope of anthropological contributions to human rights investigations. Journal of Forensic Sciences 50:23-30.

May 10. Final Practical [9-11 AM] and Written [12-2 PM]