ANTHROP 3FA3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Foramen Magnum, Forensic Anthropology, Phalanx Bone

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANTHROP 3FA3
• Professor: Tracy Prowse

Document Summary

Question #2: is it animal or human bone: size and architecture. Look at shape and angle of joint surfaces. Look at the end of the bone (is it fully developed?) Look at the ends (epiphyses) of the bone to see if it is still developing. Epiphyses: the unfused bit of bone at the end of a long bone such a as a femor (femora is plural); usually at the ends of bones; is the location on a bone where growth in length occurs. Can be used as an age estimator. Animal and human bones can resemble in terms of size but they tend to have a different architecture (or vice versa: maturity. Bear: similar in size (slightly shorter, more robust, no neck. Human: more delicate, defined neck, rounded head. Good news - nonhuman primates are not common in forensic cases in north america. Animal bone is generally: more dense, heavier for size, defined surfaces and edges, more angles and ridges.