ANT 4027 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Skeletonization, Livor Mortis, Volatile Organic Compound
Document Summary
Meaning to conceal": earliest: 115kya, primary and secondary. Exposure: exposed to elements/animal consumption, natural, no earthly contamination, indicates physical body is unimportant for afterlife. Consumption: disposal by ingestion, ancestors (reverence) or enemy (victory) Taphonomy: study of what happens to body after death. Intrinsic: inherent in the body, bone morphology, age/sex, disease. Extrinsic: outside body, disposal method, burial environment. Autolysis: destruction of body tissues by enzymes released after death, biochemical reaction. Ambient conditions: exposure to elements, medial for bacterial growth. Stage one: fresh: autolytic cell destruction, algor/rigor mortis, bacterial invasion, volatile organic compounds, insect activity (flies) Stage two: putrefaction: bloating/ color change, marbelization, livor mortis, blistering/skin slippage, insect activity (flies/maggots) Stage three: black putrefaction: rupture/gas release, color change, loss of body fluids, animal scavenging, insect activity (flies, maggots, beetles) Stage four: butyric fermentation: drying out of tissues, adipocere formation, animal scavenging, insect activity (beetles, wasps) Stage five: dry decay: skeletonization, protein mineral loss, animal scavenging, insect activity (beetles, mites, ants)
