Downloaded 12 times
More Related Content
Forensic archaeology
- 2.
- 3. Defining Forensic Archaeology Theapplication of archaeological techniques (i.e. the excavation, recovery, documentation, & interpretation of human activity) to criminal activity and medicolegal issues.
- 4. The Archaeologist as CrimeScene Investigator • Site = Scene of Crime • Artefacts = Evidence • Interpretation • Dissemination = Expert Witness Statement
- 5. Forensic Archaeology SkillSet • Excavation Skills specific to human remains • Sampling • Police protocols, packaging & paperwork procedures • Expert Witness Statement writing • Expert Testimony • Exposure to partially decomposed human remains • Human Rights issues • General forensic awareness
- 6. Useful Forensic Awareness •Physical Anthropology • Ecological evidence • soil • Vegetation / palynology • entomology • DNA evidence • Fingerprinting • Toolmarks / Footwear
- 7. Application of ForensicArchaeology • Current murder inquiries • Scenes of Crime officer • Mass fatality incidents • Human remains repatriation • Human rights / War crime scenarios • Burial / Funerary archaeology • Teaching / Training (law enforcement)
- 8. Searching the site •Locating a shallow grave • First, look for obvious signs such as disturbed earth or dying/disturbed vegetation. Of course, how long the grave has been around will make a difference. Sometimes, rather than dead vegetation, there will be an area of particularly lush growth as the decomposing body acts as a fertilizer. • Look for any indentations in the ground. As the body decomposes, it will cause the soil to slump further in the grave. • Look for straight lines, i.e. the grave cut. There are no straight lines in nature; anything straight will be man-made. • Look around the periphery. Graves are often dug along fences, walls, and field edges. • Look for points of reference. The suspect will return to the scene of crime and therefore, burials tend to have something nearby to act as a marker. • Look for easy burials. Compost heaps, tree falls, dumpsters, these all make the disposal of a body much easier.
- 9. The Harris Matrix. •system used by archaeologists to describe the depositional history of an archaeological site. • consists of a series of contexts, each context representing an action or an event. Contexts also represent changes in soil color.
- 10. The Harris Matrix. •When excavating a grave, be on the lookout for changes in soil color, consistency, other cuts, anything that might signify a new context. • Every new context must be documented stating its depth, color and texture. • Even a piece of evidence is a context as it has been deposited. • Take a sample of each context, but make sure you know exactly from where the sample originated. • Treat it like a piece of evidence as it might end up being so.
- 11.
- 12. Excavating a shallowgrave • same way as one would excavate an archaeological feature • the stakes are higher • work within the framework of police procedures • me constraints
- 13. Excavating a shallowgrave - Procedure • Identify the grave cut/area • how large of an area is to be excavated • disturbed vegetation will be visible and often the grave cut is also clear • when the area is more vague - better to excavate a larger area • Set up the excavation unit • use four 5” nails to demarcate the area • make sure the area forms a regular square or rectangle shape • use some nylon cord to string around the nails • EU – excavation Unit • Use a compass to ascertain your north, south, east, and west sides or corners
- 14. • Taking depths •drive a wooden stake into the ground from which you will take depths • The stake is now called a datum • take depth measurements • If any point you find evidence, a change in soil, or anything of importance, you can take its depth • Photography and Plan drawing • Take photographs at every stage and keep a log • in situ before removing • a plan drawing will have to be produced • include what is around the EU as well as the EU itself
- 15. • Bisecting thefeature and removing the soil • only half of the grave at a time • runs parallel along the length of the grave • adding two additional nails and running a string between them to act as a guide • Soil is removed evenly • Loose soil is collected in a dustpan and dumped into a sieve for screening • Screening the soil • screened through a ¼” mesh screen.
- 16. • Evidence recovery •all evidence should be recovered during excavation • When evidence is located, first, gently brush the soil away from the object to expose it. • Take a photograph of the object in situ • take measurements of its location both horizontally and vertically so that it may be plotted • evidence log should be kept to record all information • object should then be removed and packed • Profile drawing • a drawing representing a profile view must be completed • plot any change in context and the location of any evidence
- 17. • Recovery ofhuman remains • the other half of the grave is removed • remove as much soil as possible around the body • the body is photographed • continue excavation of the grave until all the loose soil has been screened and only the grave cut remains • Back filling • the grave can be back-filled • get permission from the crime scene officer
- 18. Important types ofevidence often found • Large evidence • human remains • potential murder weapons • Newspaper • Clothing • bank notes, etc. • Tiny evidence – often it’s the tiny bits of evidence that end up being the most important. • cigarette butts, coins, scraps of paper, teeth, rings, bits of vegetation, charred remains, fibers, bullet/blade fragments, glass, etc. • can be hard to find but contain a wealth of information.
- 19. Interpretation of aforensic excavation • Once the excavation is completed • compile all the notes and drawings from the site into an expert witness statement • provide an account of how and when objects were deposited