Advances in Forensic Taphonomy: Method, Theory, and Archaeological Perspectives

✍ Scribed by William D. Haglund, Marcella H. Sorg

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 510
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The taphonomic approach within paleontology, archaeology, and paleoanthropology continues to produce advances in understanding postmortem biochemical and morphological transformations. Conversely, advances in understanding the early and intermediate postmortem period generated in the forensic realm can and should be brought to the attention of scientists who study the historic and prehistoric past. Building on the success of Forensic Taphonomy: The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains, Advances in Forensic Taphonomy: Method, Theory, and Archaeological Perspectives presents new and updated techniques. It expands the taphonomic focus on biogeographic context and microenvironments and integrates further the theoretical and methodological links with archaeology and paleontology.Topics covered include:Microenvironmental variation and decomposition in different environmentsTaphonomic interpretation of water deathsMass graves, mass fatalities and war crimes, archaeological and forensic approachesUpdates in geochemical and entomological analysisInterpretation of burned human remainsDiscrimination of trauma from postmortem changeTaphonomic applications at the scene and in the labThis comprehensive text takes an interdisciplinary and international approach to understanding taphonomic modifications. Liberally illustrated with photographs, maps, and other images, Advances in Forensic Taphonomy: Method, Theory, and Archaeological Perspectives is a valuable source of information for postmortem death investigation.

✦ Table of Contents

Table of Contents......Page 4
Preface......Page 8
The Editors......Page 9
The Contributors......Page 11
Acknowledgments......Page 14
Foreword......Page 15
Section 1 - Theoretical Perspectives......Page 28
1. Advancing Forensic Taphonomy: Purpose, Theory, and Process......Page 29
2. Is forensic Taphonomy Scientific?......Page 56
Section 2 - The Biographic Context......Page 68
3. An Autopsy of the Grave: Recognizing, collecting, and Preserving Forensic Geotaphonomic Evidence......Page 69
4. Forensics, Archaeology, and Thaponomy: The Symbiotic Relationship......Page 95
5. Position of Skeletal Remains as a Key to Understand Mortuary Behavior......Page 122
6. Taphonomic and Forensic Aspects of Bog Bodies......Page 141
7. The Effect of Cultivation on Buried Human Remains......Page 155
8. Detection and Recovery of Abducted and Murdered Children: Behavioral and Taphonomic Influences......Page 173
9. Insects Associated with the Body: Their Use and Analyses......Page 194
10. Human Remains in water Enviroments......Page 222
11. Floating Remains on Pacific Northwest Waters......Page 240
Section 3 - Mass Fatalities and Mass Graves......Page 262
12. Recent Mass Grave, An Introduction......Page 263
13. Taphonomy of a Karstic cave Execution Site al Hrga, Bosnia-Herzegovina......Page 282
14. Mass Graves and the Collection of Forensic Evidence: Genocide, War Crimes, and Crimes Against Humanity......Page 295
15. Postburial Disturbance of graves in Bosnia-Herzegovina......Page 311
16. Cannibalism or Violent Death Alone? Human Remains at a Small Anasazi Site......Page 327
17. Damnum Fatale: The Taphonomic Fate of Human Remains in Mass Disasters......Page 339
18. Approaches to the study of Commingling in Human skeletal Biology......Page 349
Section 4 - Modification of Bones, Soft Tissue and Associated Materials......Page 370
19. Detecting the Postburial Fragmentation of Carpals, Tarsals, and Phalanges......Page 371
20. Degradation of Clothing and Other Dress Materials Associated with Buried Bodies of Archaeological and Forensic Interest......Page 394
21. Taphonomic Context of Sharp-Force Trauma in Suspected Cases of Human Mutilation and Dismemberment......Page 418
22. A critical Look at Methods for Recovering, Evaluating, and Interpreting Cremated Human Remains......Page 450
23. Recovery and Interpreting of the Fatal Fire Victim: The Role of Forensic Anthropology......Page 466
24. The Use of DNA in the Identification of Postmortem Remains......Page 488
25. Disarticulation Pattern asn Tooth Mark Artifacts Associated with Pig Acavenging of Human Remains: A Case Study......Page 502