What is forensic anthropology?
Forensic Anthropology is the recovery and examination of human skeletal remains for the medical-legal community. This can include excavation, the creation of a biological profile, or trauma analysis, but does not include trace evidence recovery, DNA testing, Ballistic analysis, or autopsies. For more information see www.aafs.org.
Anthropology is the study of humankind, culturally and physically, in all times and places. Forensic Anthropology is the application of anthropological knowledge and techniques in a legal context. This involves detailed knowledge of osteology (skeletal anatomy and biology) to aid in the identification and cause of death of skeletal remains, as well as the recovery of remains using archaeological techniques.
Forensic anthropology is an area of applied anthropology. Anthropology consists of four subfields: cultural anthropology, archaeology, physical anthropology and linguistics. Forensic anthropology falls within the subfield of physical anthropology. Forensic anthropologists apply the methods and techniques used by physical anthropologists, namely osteologists and skeletal biologists, to forensic cases. The term “forensic” simply means, “having to do with law or legal debate.
