Anthropology Vs Forensic Anthropology Essay

While anthropology is a scientific study of all aspects of human development and interaction, forensic anthropology studies identifying characteristics on the remains of an individual. In other words, anthropology focuses more on culture while forensic anthropology focuses on bones. Analysis of someone’s bones can help in determining the sex, race, age, stature, injuries, and time of death. These factors can link a suspect to a crime and reveal what happened to a person before death (antemortem) or after death (postmortem). The pelvis is the best thing to look at when determining the sex of an individual. Females tend to have a wide subpubic angle, broad and shallow ilium, and a flexible pubic symphysis. Males tend to have a narrow subpubic angle, deep ilium, and a rigid pubic symphysis. The cranium can also help in determining sex. Males have a more pronounced crest and ridge, their chins tend to be more square, and they usually have more forehead slopes. Forensic anthropologists categorize skeletal traits by using a three-race model: White (Caucasoid), Asian (Mongoloid), and Black (Negroid). The race of an individual can be determined by the features of the skull such as the nasal spine, nasal silling/guttering, or the shape of the orbital openings. Whites typically have a prominent nasal spine, a sharp ridge around the nasal …show more content…
Teeth are the best indicators of age because they usually come in at a particular age and time. After baby teeth are lost, adult teeth will erupt in predictable patterns as each tooth grow at a certain age. Younger individuals have more bones than adults do however as they grow, their bones begin to fuse together to form 206 bones that a fully developed adult has. Another thing that happens as a child grows is a process called “ossification” which is when the cartilage in the child's body turns into bone. This process is typically complete by the age