Recommended Further Reading
- Morse, D., Duncan, J., Stoutamire, J. (1983). Handbook of Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology. Tallahassee, FL: Rose Printing.
- This is the seminal work on forensic archaeology, which codified the basic methods of (what at the time was) a new field.
Useful Weblinks
Essential components of the Forensic anthropology laboratory
There are a few essential pieces of equipment for the forensic anthropology laboratory these include: microscope and lighting, calipers, software, osteometric board, camera with associated lenses and photo scales. Different labs have different techniques for the maceration process common equipment for maceration includes scalpels, autopsy knives and saws, dermestid colonies, and incubators.
Safety first
What vaccines do I need? What personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential in a forensic anthropology laboratory space? When bodies are being macerated it is important that you and your team are up to date on all their vaccinations. At the minimum, the list of vaccinations should include the Hep A and B series. In addition, some facilities may require a covid-19 vaccine and booster. Finally, you may be required to get tested for tuberculosis prior to beginning work in a forensic anthropology laboratory and at the end of every year, depending on where you work. The lab where you work will have its own PPE requirements based on their safety regulations and plan, but there are some basic pieces of PPE equipment that all labs will likely share including : gloves, eye protection, aprons or lab coats, and shoe protection. In addition, most labs will have places in or near the lab where you can receive assistance for injuries like eye wash stations, first aid kits, and Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Before starting work in your lab make sure to familiarize yourself with the location of these items.
Preparing bodies for analysis dermestid beetles at work
Recall that in some cases, forensic anthropologists use dermestid beetle colonies to assist in the cleaning and preparation of human remains. The beetles eat the decomposing tissue and leave the bones clean, but depending on the size of your colony (smaller colonies work slower) they can work relatively slowly. As a result, many forensic anthropologists reserve the use of beetles for cases where the bones are very delicate (infants, children) or in cases of burning. Watch dermestid beetles do their work in a sea otter skull in a time lapse video from the California academy of sciences!
Watch dermestid beetles do their work in a sea otter skull in a time lapse video from the California academy of sciences!
Minimum number of individuals
One of the first things to do is to find out how many individuals are represented in your assemblage. In the book we discussed several techniques for estimating the number of individuals represent. Check out a group of undergraduate students conducting national science foundation sponsored research on the minimum number of individuals (MNI) from a mixed cremated assemblage from an ancient tomb in Iraq.