ANT 3520 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Livor Mortis, Algor Mortis, Post-Mortem Interval
5 Jul 2016
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Document Summary
Used to examine missing persons files to look for likely matches. Gives an overlap from when the person went missing; rules out people missing after pmi. First 24 hours- mortis changes (specific changes to body) Months to years= taphonomic changes (general damage over time) Environment is also a critical factor- changes evaluation of decomposition. As time since death increases, specificity decreases (can be exact within a day, after that becomes difficult to judge time of death) Decomposition (two methods within the body: autolysis- degeneration of body tissue by digestive fluids in the intestinal tract. Digests the body itself like food is digested, which then lyses/consumes internal organs (thus autolysis) Stomach and intestines are first to be decomposed: putrefaction body. Breakdown of biological elements by microorganism proliferation in the. Digestion by bacteria causes bloating due to gases being released: stages of decomposition: Dry (remaining tissue is dried up bc no more consumable tissue remaining)
