Advances in Forensic Taphonomy Method, Theory, and Archaeological Perspectives

About this book

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:
o Microenvironmental variation and decomposition in different environments
o Taphonomic interpretation of water deaths
o Mass graves, mass fatalities and war crimes, archaeological and forensic approaches
o Updates in geochemical and entomological analysis
o Interpretation of burned human remains
o Discrimination of trauma from postmortem change
o Taphonomic applications at the scene and in the lab

This 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.

Contents

Preface The Editors The Contributors Acknowledgments Multidisciplinary Forewords Foreword from Pathology, Donald Reay Foreword from Paleontology, R. Lee Lyman Foreword from Archaeology: A Pilgrim in Forensic Archaeology - A Personal View, J.R. Hunter Theoretical Perspectives Advancing Forensic Taphonomy: Purpose, Theory, and Practice, Editors Is Forensic Taphonomy Scientific? Jon Nordby The Biogeographic Context An Autopsy of the Grave: Recognizing, Collecting, and Preserving Forensic Goetaphonomic Evidence, Michael Hochrein Forensics, Archaeology, and Taphonomy: The Symbiotic Relationship, Julie Saul and Frank Saul Position of Skeletal Remains as a Key to Understanding Mortuary Behavior, Mirjana Roksandic Taphonomic and Forensic Aspects of Bog Bodies, Don Brothwell and Heather Gill-Robinson The Effect of Cultivation on Buried Human Remains, William D. Haglund, Melissa Connor, and Douglas Scott Detection and Recovery of Abducted and Murdered Children: Behavioral and Taphonomic Influences, Robert Morton and Wayne Lord Insects Associated with the Body: Their Use and Analysis, Gail Anderson and Valerie Cervenka Human Remains in Water Environments, William D. Haglund and Marcella H. Sorg Floating Remains on Pacific Northwest Waters, Curtis Ebbesmeyer and William Haglund Mass Fatalities and Mass Graves Recent Mass Graves, An Introduction, William D. Haglund Taphonomy of a Karstic Cave Execution Site at Hrgar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Tal Simmons Mass Graves and the Collection of Forensic Evidence: Genocide, War Crimes, and Crimes Against Humanity, Stefan Schmitt Postburial Disturbance of Graves in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mark Skinner, Heather York, and Melissa Connor Cannibalism or Violent Death Alone? Human Remains at a Small Anasazi Site, Sally Graver, Kristin Sobolik, and John Whittaker Damnum Fatale: The Taphonomic Fate of Human Remains in Mass Disasters, Paul Sledzik and William Rodriguez III Approaches to the Study of Commingling in Human Skeletal Biology, Douglas Ubelaker Modification of Bone, Soft Tissue, and Associated Materials Detecting the Postburial Fragmentation of Carpals, Tarsals, and Phalanges, Christyann Darwent and R. Lee Lyman Degradation of Clothing and Other Dress Materials Associated with Buried Bodies of Both Archaeological and Forensic Interest, R.C. Janaway Taphonomic Context of Sharp-Force Trauma in Suspected Cases of Human Mutilation and Dismemberment, Steven A. Symes et. alia A Critical Look at Methods for Recovering, Evaluating, and Interpreting Cremated Human Remains, Pamela Correia and Owen Beattie Recovery and Interpretation of the Fatal Fire Victim: The Role of Forensic Anthropology, Dennis Dirkmaat The Use of DNA in the Identification of Postmortem Remains, Michelle Harvey and Mary-Claire King Disarticulation Pattern and Tooth Mark Artifacts Associated with Pig Scavenging of Human Remains: A Case Study, Hugh Berryman Index

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