What is Anthropology?
- the study of humans past and present
What are the four sub-fields of Anthropology?
- Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, Linguistics, Physical Anthropology
What is Forensic Anthropology?
- the application of physical or biological anthropology in a legal context
Formative Period
- early 1800s to 1938
- origin of Forensic Anth. started with the case of the Parkman murder in 1849
The Parkman Case Important Details
- 1849 at Harvard Medical School
- Dr. George Parkman=physician
- John Webster=Chemistry professor
- Webster killed Parkman to avoid paying back his debt
- Harvard anatomy professors (Holmes & Wyman) helped solved the case
- Webster convicted of murder when dentures found in the furnace were shown to match a mold of Parkman’s teeth that his dentist had used to make the dentures
Who was Thomas Dwight?
- 1843 to 1911
- 1st avid practitioner of the applied study of forensic anthropology
- considered to be the father of forensic anthropology
- was the 1st American to make major contributions to the field
What does a Forensic Anthropologist do?
- aid in recovering the body and any physical evidence associated with it
- provide an interpretation of the events surrounding the death and the disposition of the body
- advise the coroner/medical examiner on time & cause of death & identity of victim
How did Forensic Anthropology get started?
- derived from academic anatomy
- they are scientists NOT investigators
What was the importance of the Parkman Case?
- one of the first, well documented cases in which knowledge of human anatomy & variation helped matched a set of remains with a missing person
What was the Luetgert Case?
- first case in U.S. history in which an Anthropologist served as a forensic expert
- provided expert testimony regarding a forensically significant set of human remains
The Luetgert Case Important Details
- 1897 in Chicago
- Mrs. Luetgert was married to Mr. Adolf Luergert who was a sausage manufacturer
- George Dorsey examined the 4, tiny bones that were found (ring w/ the wife’s initials were also found)
- Adolf Luergert was convicted by the ring and Dorsey’s testimony
The Significance of the 1939
- Law Enforcement became more aware of Forensic Anthropology due to the publication of “Guide to the Identification of Human Skeletal Material”
- book by W.M. Krogman in FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin
Significance of WWII
- U.S. Army used American Anthropologists in the identification of skeletonized War dead in the Pacific
Significance of 1947
- the Army established the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii
- Charles E. Snow of the Uni. of Kentucky was the 1st Physical Anthropologist to serve
Significance of Korean War
- identification lab was established in Kokura, Japan
- the US Army allowed research to be carried out during identification techniques
- creation of a formula for estimating stature
Significance of Vietnam War
- technological advances allowed quicker recovery of dead
- Mortuary Central Identification Laboratory was established in Saigon
Significance of 1972
- the American Academy of Forensic Sciences established a Physical Anth. Section
- this is the smallest section of the AAFS in therms of membership but also has the highest publication rate
After 1972
- several univ. have started programs for advanced degrees in Forensic Anthropology
- Forensic Anthropologist have contributed to thousands of cases
- there are Physical Anthropologists in every State who devote a significant amount of their time to Forensic cases and research
What are some questions that Forensic Anthropologists have to answer?
- Is It Human?
- Is It Modern or Ancient?
- How many skeletons are present?
What is the Biological Profile?
- age at death
- sex
- stature
- ancestry
- pathology
- trauma
- other
