Course Objectives

To have in depth knowledge about :

• Importance of forensic anthropology in identification of persons.
• Different techniques of facial reconstruction and their forensic importance.
• Significance of somatoscopy and somatometry.

Learning Outcomes

After studying this paper, student will be able to:

• Apply the knowledge of anthropology in investigations pertaining to identification of persons.
• have knowledge of facial reconstruction and it's application.
• Identify remains through somatoscopy and somatometry.

Course Syllabus

Unit 1: Significance of Forensic Anthropology

Scope of forensic anthropology. Study of human skeleton. Nature, formation, and identification of human bones. Determination of age, sex, stature from skeletal material.

Unit 2: Personal Identification – Somatoscopy and Somatometry

Somatoscopy – observation of hair on head, forehead, eyes, root of nose, nasal bridge, nasal tip, chin, Darwin’s tubercle, ear lobes, supra-orbital ridges, physiognomic ear breadth, circumference of head. Scar marks and occupational marks.

Somatometry – measurements of head, face, nose, cheek, ear, hand and foot, body weight, height.

Indices - cephalic index, nasal index, cranial index, upper facial index.

Unit 3: Facial Reconstruction

Portrait Parle/ Bertillon system. Photofit/identi kit. Facial superimposition techniques.

Cranio facial super imposition techniques – photographic super imposition, videosuperimposition, Roentgenographic superimposition. Use of somatoscopic and

craniometric methods in reconstruction. Importance of tissue depth in facial reconstruction.

Genetic and congenital anomalies – causes, types, identification and their forensic significance.

List of Practicals :                                                                                         Credits: 2

1. To determine of age from skull and teeth.
2. To determine of sex from skull.
3. To determine sex from pelvis.
4. To study identification and description of bones and their measurements.
5. To investigate the differences between animal and human bones.

Suggested Readings

1. M.Y. Iscan and S.R. Loth, The scope of forensic anthropology in, Introduction to Forensic Sciences, 2nd Ed., W.G. Eckert (Ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton (1997).
2. D. Ubelaker and H. Scammell, Bones, M. Evans & Co., New York (2000).

3. S.Rhine, Bone Voyage: A Journey in Forensic Anthropology, University of Mexico Press, Mexico (1998).

Session Plan

Session 1

Unit 1: Significance of Forensic Anthropology

Scope of forensic anthropology. 

Session 2

Study of human skeleton.

Session 3

Nature, formation, and identification of human bones. 

Session 4

Nature, formation, and identification of human bones. 

Session 5

Determination of age from skeletal material.

Session 6

Determination of age from skeletal material.

Session 7

Determination of sex from skeletal material.

Session 8

Determination of stature from skeletal material.

Session 9

Unit 2: Personal Identification – Somatoscopy and Somatometry

Somatoscopy – observation of hair on head, forehead

Session 10

Somatoscopy – observation offorehead, eyes, root of nose, nasal bridge, nasal tip, chin,

Session 11

Observation of Darwin’s tubercle, ear lobes, supra-orbital ridges,

Session 12

Observation of physiognomic ear breadth, circumference of head.

Session 13

Observation of Scar marks and occupational marks.

Session 14

Somatometry – measurements of head, face, nose, cheek, ear, hand and foot, body weight, height.

Session 15

Somatometry – measurements of head, face, nose, cheek, ear, hand and foot, body weight, height.

Session 16

Indices - cephalic index, nasal index, cranial index, upper facial index.

Session 17

Unit 3: Facial Reconstruction

Portrait Parle/ Bertillon system.

Session 18

Photofit/identi kit.

Session 19

Facial superimposition techniques.

Session 20

Cranio facial super imposition techniques – photographic super imposition,

Session 21

Cranio facial super imposition techniques – videosuperimposition, 

Session 22

Cranio facial super imposition techniques – Roentgenographic superimposition.

Session 23

Use of somatoscopic and craniometric methods in reconstruction.

Session 24

Use of somatoscopic and craniometric methods in reconstruction.

Session 25

Importance of tissue depth in facial reconstruction.

Session 26

Genetic and congenital anomalies – causes, types, identification and their forensic significance.

Session 27

Genetic and congenital anomalies – causes, types, identification and their forensic significance.

Case Studies

Case Studies