ANTHROP 3FA3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Blunt Trauma, Heavy Object, Spa

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANTHROP 3FA3
• Professor: Andrew Wade

Document Summary

First rule of sharp force trauma: sharp force trauma is blunt trauma with a sharp object. Length, width and depth of a cut depends on the weapon size and shape and weight, as well as the force being applied to the weapon and also depends on the dimensions of the bone. Can get fractures in sharp force trauma, though they are relatively rare because energy is being applied across the surface of the bone. Incisions: compression and shearing force applied across bone with a long sharp edge generally speaking. The depth of the cleft depends on the amount of force being applied: wastage results in two different appearances to the cleft, entry/intact bone, smooth, flat appearance, opposite angle, rough, ends in fractured bone. Evidence on or introduced in to bone: blade dimensions (from width of incisions, blade characteristics, debris carried into wound, characteristics of instruments look for striations under angled light.