ANTH 2700 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Forensic Anthropology, Taphonomy, Endocranium
Document Summary
Anthropology [lab manual and workbook for physical anthropology] Very high genetic component, though no mendelian inheritance patterns discovered. Infer degrees of relatedness between individuals within and between populations by shared frequency of traits. Spatial comparison: two individuals within or between populations from about same time period are compared. Temporal: individuals from different time periods are compared. Useful because traits are less affected by environment than metric measurements. Forensic anthropology: analysis of remains that have forensic significance and are important in a medicolegal context. Forensic science: application of scientific methods to the law. Forensic physical anthropology: application of physical anthropology to medicolegal questions and is usually used in determining the identity and circumstances of death of an individual (with or without soft tissue) Taphonomy: anything that happens to a body after death. Recognition of taphonomic influences is extremely important in trying to determine time since death. Condition of skeleton determines whether body is a forensic or archaeological case.
