ANTH 228 – Forensic Anthropology Assignment 5: Individualization/Antemortem Conditions &

Postmortem Changes to Bone.

Please answer these questions on a separate piece of paper.

At the top of the page remember to write your name, student number, the assignment

number, and the date of submission.

1. Imagine there is a whole in the skull created by the removal of the epipteric bone

in Fig. 1. Think about the differences that would then exist between the hole

portrayed in Fig. 1 and the projectile wound displayed in Fig. 2. Name three

characteristics that can help to differentiate between them.

2. If the kerf pictured in Fig. 3 has a width of 2.75mm, a) what is the estimate of the

width of the saw blade that produced the cut? b) What do you think would be the

source of energy for the blade & why?

Fig. 2

Fig. 1

Fig. 3.

3. a) What is the weight of a “White” male whose femur is 197g (please include 95%

CI)? Suppose the remains are found with a pair of jeans with a 50-inch waist. b)

How would the estimate of body weight be affected?

4. A skeleton with clinging charred flesh is discovered in the remains of a burned out

vehicle. The colour of the bone is grey/blue. Using information from your

textbook, a) what is the temperature of the fire that caused the discolouration of

the bone? b) How much bone shrinkage occurred (percentage-wise)?

5. A partially-fleshed skeleton is discovered on the ground surface in a forested area.

Analysis of the bones reveals the following characteristics:

skull: slanted frontal bone; rugged nuchal area; pronounced glabella;

angular eye orbits; pronounced nasal spine; straight facial profile;

parabolic palate.

right pubic symphysis face: erosion and erratic ossification.

post cranial measurements: right femur length: 478mm; right humerus

length: 343mm; left humerus length: 340mm; right radius length: 247mm;

left radius length: 245mm.

post-cranial characteristics: pronounced deltoid tuberosities and other

muscle markings.

Considering all the data provided above, what information would you be able to provide

to law enforcement agencies to help identify this skeleton? (Be specific).