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Social Sci LibreTexts

15: Forensic Anthropology

  • Alex Perrone, Ashley Kendell, & Colleen Milligan

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Learning Objectives

  • Define forensic anthropology as a subfield of biological anthropology.
  • Describe the seven steps carried out during skeletal analysis.
  • Outline the four major components of the biological profile.
  • Contrast the four categories of trauma.
  • Explain how to identify the different taphonomic agents that alter bone.
  • Discuss ethical considerations for forensic anthropology.

Thumbnail: Bone microstructure (osteons). Credit: Bone (248 12) Bone cross section by Doc. RNDr. Josef Reischig, CSc. is under a CC BY-SA 3.0 License.

This chapter is a revision from “ Chapter 15: Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology ” by Ashley Kendell, Alex Peronne, and Colleen Milligan. In Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology, first edition , edited by Beth Shook, Katie Nelson, Kelsie Aguilera, and Lara Braff, which is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 .

Content Warning and Disclaimer: This chapter includes images of human remains as well as discussions centered on human skeletal analyses. All images are derived from casts, sketches, nonhuman skeletal material, as well as non-Indigenous skeletal materials curated within the CSU, Chico Human Identification Lab, and the Hartnett-Fulginiti donated skeletal collection.


This page titled 15: Forensic Anthropology is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Alex Perrone, Ashley Kendell, Colleen Milligan, & Colleen Milligan (Society for Anthropology in Community Colleges) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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