Forensic archaeology
- surface scatters
- burials
- fatal fires
- mass disasters/fatalities
Surface scatters
- site where the remains and evidence is scattered on the ground
- remains are “easy” to locate on the surface BUT often disturbed from the original context
- they are more easily moved and affected by environmental factors
When we arrive at the scene, the body belongs to whom?
The coroner/medical examiner
Arrival at scene
- preliminary assessment
- test hypotheses
- documentation commences upon arrival (written, photographic, and cartographic)
- environmental factors should be noted (weather, insect activity, etc.)
Anything of importance: REPORT for TRIAL
T/F it is important to document not only what is happening, but who is doing it, at what time, etc.
True
Surface scatter steps
1.) Systematic search: delimit the immediate and general scene
2.) Evaluate items for forensic significance
3.) Perform more intensive hands-and-knees search
4.) Denude
5.) Document context (GPS, scans, hand-drawn plan view map)
6.) Document and collect evidence
7.) Chain of custody
Large scale pedestrian search
Identify search corridors
Form a shoulder to shoulder line
- extremities of the line marked with tape/flags
- walk a transect (straight line) across the search corridor, flagging potential evidence
transect
straight line
Most important aspects of a large-scale search
1.) Know where you have been
2.) Cover 100 percent of the search area
Evaluation of forensic significance
- evidence flagged during the large-scale pedestrian search
- evaluate forensic significance (sometimes difficult during the initial search)
- must be photographed and geolocated prior to removing
Intensive hands-and-knees search
- once pre-recovery documentation has been completed
- same principle as a large-scale search
- can observe close-up presence of insects, layers of leaf litter, etc.
- start at the outer edges and work in a collapsing concentric circle
Collapsing concentric circle
peripheral to center
outside to inside
Denude the scene
- Identify primary and (if necessary) secondary concentration
- Removing vegetation on the surface that obscures the evidence
- Outward to center
- exposes micro topography and allows for visualization of remains
- essentially “controlled deconstruction” of the scene
Document location, position
- hand-drawn map
- GPS units
- Total Station
- Surface Scanner
- photographs
- notes
(purpose is to tie all aspects of the scene together) - remains, topography/elevation, positioning, identification of evidence, and notation with relation to other evidence (Provenience)
- allows us to test the hypotheses law enforcement has given us
Evidence Collection
Evidence for Anthros vs. Law Enforcement
Law enforcement evidence
- clothing
- personal effects: photographs
Forensic Anth evidence
remains
Evidence
assign a unique designator (noted in the written notes and written on the item’s bags)
- this is important for preserving the provenience
- once evidence on the surface is collected, screen for evidence in the underlying soil
Chain of custody
- where the evidence has been and who has been in contact with it
- every time evidence changes hands a new chain of custody form must be signed
- extremely important for court because it shows that evidence was not contaminated
- WE are responsible for maintaining the chain of custody since the remains/evidence are received and until they are returned
Important factors in a surface scatter
- decomposition stage
- insect activity
- taphonomic modifications
- animals/vegetation in the area
- any other evidence lying on the surface
Human intervention in the form of trauma?
Ultimate goal in a surface scatter
reconstruction of events at the scene (around the time of death and afterward— until the finding)
It has been suggested that even after one year minimal amounts of soft tissue can remain associated with the skeletal tissues and approximately ______ years are required for the removal of all soft tissue by natural processes in Pennsylvania
two
