Anthropology Content Flashcards
a division in science that seeks to identify human remains
forensic anthropology
created by observing the human remains
biological profile
skeletal portion that encloses the brain
cranium
examination of bones to understand nature of injuries
skeletal trauma analysis
jaw bones used to determine age of deceased
mandible
angel between the inferior rami of pubic bones and below the samphysis pubis
subpubic angle
a person’s ethnic origin
ancestry
applied in identification of trace evidence
microscopy
recreating the face of an individual from their skeletal remains
facial reconstruction
long bone extending from hip to knee
femur
Skull Characteristics Female (6)
- V-shaped mandible
- Obtuse Jaw
- Slanted ramus
- Zygomatic arch extends past external auditory meatus
- Round eye orbital
- Superior margin of eye orbit is pinched
Skull Characteristics Male (4)
- Pronounced brow bone
- Rough and bumpy nuchal crest
- Superior margin of eye orbit is blunt/flat
- U shaped mandible
What sort of information can skeletal remains reveal about a person? (4)
- age
- sex
- ancestry
- height
What part of the skull is used to determine the age of a person?
cranium
Male pelvic bone characteristics (4)
- Subpubic angle = less than 90 degrees
- Hips (illium) upright & narrow
- Shape of pelvic cavity is a small heart
- Long, curved inward coccyx
Female pelvic bone characteristics (4)
- Subpubic angle = 90 degrees or greater
- Hips (illium) relaxed & wider
- Shape of pelvic cavity is a large oval
- Short, curved outward coccyx
What parts of a biological profile can be identified through bones? (4)
- sex
- age
- height
- ethnic origin
What type of bones are used to calculate approximate height of a person?
humerus & femur
List the three ancestral categories of skulls
- European
- Asian
- African
What bone is most reliable in determining gender of a person
pelvic
The cranial sutures of a human skull fuse completely by the age of …
35
What age do your bones stop growing and begin to break down faster than they are built
30
