Forensic anthropology involves the examination of human skeletal remains for law enforcement agencies to determine identity. It applies anthropological knowledge in a legal context. Forensic anthropologists work to determine aspects like gender, age, time since death, trauma, and ancestry from skeletal remains to aid investigations. The field has developed from physical anthropology in the early 20th century. It is important for identifying remains and providing testimony in court. Forensic anthropologists also study ancient remains to learn about past populations.

1. Forensic Anthropology
Jocelyn Ramirez & Melissa Perez
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2. Definition
Forensic anthropology is the examination of human
skeletal remains for law enforcement agencies to
determine the identity of unidentified bones.
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3. ❖ The identification of skeletal, badly decomposed
or otherwise unidentified human remains is
important for both legal and humanitarian
reasons.
❖ To start from the beginning, anthropology is the
science which studies humankind, culturally and
physically, in all times and places, while forensic
anthropology takes that knowledge and applies it in a
legal context, hence the ‘forensic’ in the term.
❖ Can be in great use
of a possible murder
investigation of
victim.
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4. Development
❖ Forensic anthropology rooted in physical anthropology,
as early as 1918, until the present.
❖ In the early years of the twentieth century, most
Americans did not recognize physical anthropology as a
science.
---This is primarily because ethnologists and
archaeologists originally dominated the field of
anthropology.
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5. ❖ The field of forensic anthropology is relatively new.
❖ Although there were famous grisly murders of the 19th
century solved through examination of bones and body
fragments, it wasn't until the 1930s that the relationship
between anthropology and the police was formally
acknowledged.
❖ The gangland murders of the 1930s forced the FBI to
turn to physical anthropologists.
Earnest A. Hooton (1887-1954)
❖ Was a founder of the Miller’s lineage, which was another
major contributor to the rise of physical anthropology in
the United States.
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6. Investigation; Goals to keep
in mind
some goals that forensic
anthropologists have
are:
finding out:
● the gender
● age
● how old the bones
are
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7. Investigation: Napoleon
Bonaparte
● According to the official records,
Napoleon Bonaparte died of
stomach cancer on May 5th 1821.
● However, many historians claim
that forensic evidence shows that
he was actually the the victim of
arsenic poisoning.
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8. Importance of Forensic
Anthropology
● the importance of forensic anthropology is
that they work hand in hand with criminal
investigators, which then help give the
investigators more background.
● forensic anthropology is also important
because it lets us know when the person has
died or how old the body has been rotting.
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9. Importance
● an importance outside the lab would be in
the court. they are often called to give
testimonies about the victim.
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10. Ancient Remains
❖ First Nations and Native American people have occupied North America
for thousands of years. Over time, these groups moved in and out of their
territories and often buried their dead along the way according to the
current customs.
❖ It is the Forensic Anthropology team to discover those ancient bodies and
determine their cause of death.
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11. Ancient Remains
❖ To assess ancestry, anthropologists look for skeletal
features that tend to be more common in some
populations than others.
❖ They cannot determine skin or eye colour, but they may
be able to place an individual into one of three broad
geographic categories: European, African, or Asian.
❖ Ancestry often has more to do with a person's physical
appearance than their biological heritage.
❖ Ancestry is estimated by measuring, observing and
analyzing the bones of an individual's face and skull
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12. Average Salary
when starting in Forensic Anthropology the
average Salary is anywhere between
$35,000-$50,000.
when you have your Doctorates the person can
earn anywhere between $50,000-$100,000.
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13. What you need?
in College you will need to take:
● general Chemistry
● quantitative/instrumental analysis
● organic chemistry
● Physical Chemistry
Biology classes as well and 2 physics classes.
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14. Pictures
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15. Television Shows
● CSI
● Bones
● NCIS
● Law and order
● Mentalist
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16. Youtube video & Podcast
❖ http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=c8IHPq9VgWI
❖ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/talk-
forensics-blog-talk-radio/id304701292
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17. Bibliography
● http://www.sfu.museum/forensics/eng/pg_media-
media_pg/anthropologie-anthropology/
● http://www.indeed.com/salary/q-Forensic-Anthropology-
Lecturer-l-Cullowhee,-NC.html
● http://www.theabfa.org
● http://anthropology.si.edu/writteninbone/forensic_anthro.
html
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