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Forensics > Archaeology > Flashcards

Archaeology Flashcards

1
Q

What is archaeology?

A

The study of the past through the systematic recovery and analysis of material culture

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2
Q

What are the main uses of archaeology?

A

Forensic
Humanitarian
Archaeological

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3
Q

What are the main applications of forensic archaeology?

A

Criminal case work
War crimes and genocide
Mass disasters

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4
Q

What is forensic archaeology?

A

The location and recovery of evidence from forensic contexts using methods based on standard archaeological procedures

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5
Q

What does forensic archaeology include?

A
  • locating human remains
  • maximising recovery
  • assessing spatial and temporal relationships relative to death, burial or dispersal
  • differentiating ante, peri and post mortem movement and modifications
  • interpreting site formation from the scene context
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6
Q

Why is excavation a “one off”?

A

Crime scene is destroyed once evidence is collected

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7
Q

What is the law of association?

A

Objects in the same layer were deposited at the same time

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8
Q

What is the law of superposition?

A

Layers are deposited youngest upon oldest

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9
Q

What are the 3 main factors of the nature of burial?

A
  • burial type: primary/secondary, disturbed/undisturbed, individual/multiple, inhumation/cremation
    X
    -body position: extended/semi extended/flexed
  • orientation: prone/supine
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10
Q

What are other factors included in the nature of burial?

A
  • size, shape and location of grave
  • 3D location of body within the grave
  • evidence a body was removed
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11
Q

What do forensic archaeologists look for?

A
  • nature of burial

- taphonomic condition

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12
Q

What are the main taphonomic conditions?

A
  • fleshed remains (putrefaction and saponification)
  • mummified remains
  • skeletonised remains
  • cremation
  • negative impressions
  • silhouettes
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13
Q

What are the types of mummification?

A
  • frozen
  • bog body: preserved in water logged conditions, skin and hair often survive
  • desiccated mummy: desert mummification by dehydration
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14
Q

Which 2 main factors affect preservation?

A
  1. Burial environment

2. Grave contents

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15
Q

What are the components of burial environment affecting preservation?

A
  • sunlight
  • soil pH
  • moisture
  • flora and fauna
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16
Q

What are the factors of grave contents that affect preservation?

A
  • number of bodies in a grave
  • wrappings
  • trauma
17
Q

Burial environment: sunlight

A

Remains exposed on the surface do not survive well

18
Q

Burial environment: soil pH

A
  • high pH= good preservation

- low pH= poor preservation

19
Q

Burial environment: moisture

A
  • helps preserve organic remains

- anaerobic environment

20
Q

Burial environment: flora and fauna

A
  • roots sap nutrients from bone
  • microorganisms and insects digest organic material
  • scavengers dismember and consume remains
21
Q

Grave contents: number of bodies

A
  • densely packed bodies preserve better than single bodies
22
Q

Grave contents: wrappings

A
  • clothing, carpets, plastic bags create a micro environment that preserves bodies longer
23
Q

Grave contents: trauma

A
  • open wounds allow faster decomposition
24
Q

What is the biggest factor affecting preservation?

A

Time

25
Q

Christian cemeteries

A
  • on back
  • body aligned east west
  • Roman Catholic: head to the west
  • Protestant: head to the east
26
Q

Islamic cemeteries

A
  • on right side
  • facing Mecca
  • no burial goods
27
Q

What are types of evidence used to determine a primary scene?

A
  • presence of weapon in situ
  • presence of shell casings
  • presence of bullet track in soil
28
Q

What is evidence of a secondary burial location?

A
  • physical evidence removed from the primary scene (eg carpet used to carry body, glass)
  • grass, soil or other debris is often brought with the body
29
Q

What are some signs that a body has been moved?

A
  • decomposition means that body parts are often left behind
  • small personal items or ballistics often slip down below the level of the body and may be left behind
  • body fluids seep into the ground and may be detected long after a body has been moved

Forensics (18 decks)

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