Forensic Services, UK T his presentation will focus on the applications of forensic anthropology ... more Forensic Services, UK T his presentation will focus on the applications of forensic anthropology and related sciences in complex cases. A review of recent developments in the field currently being utilized in UK forensic casework will be provided and a number of research projects aimed at improving knowledge in areas which will assist with criminal investigation will be summarized. These include the identification of small burnt fragments of bone using multiple techniques and the post-mortem preservation of human remains in a confined space. Three recent case studies will be presented. Two of these generated research projects which are currently ongoing and one utilized a number of scientific techniques, including anthropology which strengthened the evidence for the prosecution.
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 1998
Excavation at Cloburn Quarry, Cairngryffe Hill, Lanarkshire, of a Bronze Age ring cairn in 1986-7... more Excavation at Cloburn Quarry, Cairngryffe Hill, Lanarkshire, of a Bronze Age ring cairn in 1986-7 revealed a monument of considerable complexity. Its earlier phases appear to have consisted of timber and stone rings around a central cremation pit, with other cremations in small pits within the rings. The most intensive period of funerary activity followed the removal of these circular architectural elements and coincided with the deposition offelsite chips across the site. These later interments included a cremation accompanied by an entire Food Vessel Vase. The final phase saw the construction of the outer ring and an irregular platform cairn within it. A number of cremations were later put into the cairn. Radiocarbon dates of 3450 ±50 BP and 3460 + 60 BP (1890-1630 and 1910-1620 cal EC) suggest an Early Bronze Age date for the pre-cairn monument. The project was funded throughout by Historic Scotland and its predecessor department (SDD/HBM).
As part of the Historic Scotland Human Remains Call Off Contract, Glasgow Univ ersity Archaeologi... more As part of the Historic Scotland Human Remains Call Off Contract, Glasgow Univ ersity Archaeological Research Division (GUARD)undertook an archaeological excavation of a prehistoric urned cremation deposit within a boulder shelter at Glennan, Kilmartin, Argyll and Bute (NGR NM86220097). Analysis has shown the cremation was of a male probably aged between 25 and 40 years. He had suffered from slight spinal joint disease, and mild iron deficiency anaemia, though neither seems likely to have affected his general health. He was cremated shortly after death, together with a young sheep/goat, and their remains were subsequently picked from the pyre and co-mingled before burial in the urn. An unburnt retouched flint flake was recovered which may have accompanied the burial. The closest parallels for the cremation container are found within the tradition of Enlarged Food Vessel urns, a tradition that is poorly dated but probably has a currency in the first half of the second millennium BC. ...
This report provides an account of the excavations of a cropmark enclosure and other prehistoric ... more This report provides an account of the excavations of a cropmark enclosure and other prehistoric remains at Dryburn Bridge, near Innerwick in East Lothian. The excavations were directed over two seasons in 1978 and 1979 by Jon Triscott and David Pollock, and were funded by the Ancient Monuments Branch, Scottish Development Department. Features and artefacts of various periods were discovered during the excavations, including a Mesolithic chipped stone assemblage and pits associated with Impressed Ware pottery. A pair of distinctive burial cists dating to c2300-2000 cal BC was discovered, each containing two inhumations, one articulated and the other disarticulated; a Beaker vessel was found directly above one of the cists. By the mid first millennium cal BC a settlement had been founded on the site. Three successive settlement layouts can be interpreted from the excavated structures. The first two phases represent continuous occupation, dating to before 400 cal BC, and consisted of ...
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Notes the discovery of a receptacle containing a cremation deposit in the garden of a private hou... more Notes the discovery of a receptacle containing a cremation deposit in the garden of a private house and subsequent investigation at the find spot. The encrustation on the inside of the urn produced a radiocarbon date of 1626--1408 cal BC and it is suggested that the container may have been used for domestic purposes prior to burial. Post excavation analyses include: `Cordoned urn' (146--8) and `Chemical analysis' (151--3) by Andy Jones;`Cremated human remains' by Julie Roberts (148--9); `DNA analysis' by Gavin MacGregor (150); `Magnetic susceptibility' by John Syme Duncan (150--1); `Pollen and macroscopic plant remains' by Susan Ramsay (153--5); and `Quartz' by Mike Donnelly (155--6).
Evaluation and excavation along the route of the A92 between Dundee and Arbroath uncovered the re... more Evaluation and excavation along the route of the A92 between Dundee and Arbroath uncovered the remains of a variety of archaeological features. These included a possible medieval rectilinear enclosure at Cotside; scattered medieval features at Barry Manse; possible prehistoric features at Carlogie, Mains of Kelly and Three Mile Wood, one of which contained Late Neolithic grooved ware; two Bronze Age roundhouses at Auchrennie; and a promontory enclosure with associated Early Historic burials at Elliot.
As part of the Historic Scotland Human Remains Call Off Contract, Glasgow University Archaeologic... more As part of the Historic Scotland Human Remains Call Off Contract, Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division (GUARD) undertook an archaeological evaluation of the find spot of a human skull from a cairn at Loch Borralie, Sutherland (NGR NC 3790 6761). Excavation recovered the remains of two burials beneath the cairn and established that the cairn was multi-phased. One individual was an adult male (Skeleton 1), while the other was immature and of undeterminable sex (Skeleton 2). Both individuals showed signs of ill health, and dogs and/or rats appear to have gnawed their bones. A ring-headed pin was recovered close to Skeleton 1 during the excavation. A radiocarbon date was obtained from the left humerus of Skeleton 1 of 40 cal BC - cal AD210 at 2 sigma (OxA-10253). Excavation revealed that the cairn, broadly sub-rectangular in form, had a maximum height of 1.2m and was composed of large, sub-angular and sub-rounded rocks (including quartz and quartzite) and occasional round...
The specialist report on a small and poorly preserved quantity of human bone considers the eviden... more The specialist report on a small and poorly preserved quantity of human bone considers the evidence for minimum number of individuals, age at death, sex and mortuary practice.
Missing and Displaced 1.5 The Geographical Region of Study CHAPTER TWO: BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE... more Missing and Displaced 1.5 The Geographical Region of Study CHAPTER TWO: BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Historical and Political Background to the Conflicts 2.2 Childhood in Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina: Demography, Society and Education 2.2.1 The Definition of Childhood 2.2.2 Bosnia-Herzegovina 2.2.3 Kosovo 2.3 General Impact of the War on Children 2.4 Present State of Knowledge Regarding Deliberate Acts of Violence Commited against Children 2.5 The Role of the Forensic Anthropologist in the Investigation of War Crimes CHAPTER THREE: THE SITES 3.1 Selection of the Sites 3.2 The Sites as a Representative Sample 8 3.3 Place Names 3.4 Sites in Kosovo 3.5 Sites in Bosnia-Herzegovina CHAPTER FOUR: COLLECTION AND EXAMINATION OF EVIDENCE IN THE FIELD 4.1 Methodology Relating to the Exhumations and Data Collection 4.1.1 Terminology 4.1.2 Background and Collection of Data 4.1.3 Identification of Sites 4.1.4 Types of Grave and Deposition Sites Investigated 4.1.5 Exhumation and Recovery of Evidence 4.1.6 Integrity and Continuity of Evidence 4.2 Methodology Relating to the Determination of Age at Death, Sex and Stature in Decomposed, Skeletonised, Fragmented, Burnt and Incomplete Remains 4.2.1 Limitations of Anthropological Evidence 4.2.2 Estimation of Age at Death 4.2.3 Estimation of Sex 4.2.4 Estimation of Stature 4.2.5 Specific Methodological Problems for this Research 4.3 Methodology Relating to the Identification of Traumatic Injury and Cause of Death in Decomposed, Skeletonised, Fragmented, Burnt and Incomplete Remains 4.3.1 Characterisation of Traumatic Injury 4.3.2 The Mechanism of Fracture Healing 9 4.3.3 Distinguishing between Ante-mortem and Post-mortem Fractures in Decomposed and Skeletonised Remains 4.3.4 Distinguishing between Ante-mortem and Post-mortem Fractures in Fragmented and Incomplete Remains 4.3.5 Identifying Evidence of Trauma in Burnt Remains 4.3.6 Determining Cause of Death in Decomposed, Fragmented and Otherwise Modified Remains CHAPTER FIVE: THE DATA 5.1 Introduction to the Data 5.2 Summary of Research Questions and Criteria for Data Selection 5.3 Quality of the Data 5.4 Content and Format of Primary Forensic Data 5.5 Specific Problems Encountered 5.5.1 Problems Relating to Format 5.5.2 Errors and Inconsistencies in the Primary Data 5.5.3 Omissions 5.6 Integration of Datasets and Correction of Errors 5.6.1 Merging the Data 5.6.2 Editing the Integrated Database 5.6.3 Correction of Errors 5.6.4 Inputting the Additional Data from the Autopsy and Summary Reports 5.7 The End Product 5.7.1 The Sites from Which the Evidence was Recovered 5.7.2 The Biological Profile of the Deceased and Cause of Death 10 5.7.3 The Clothing and Personal Possessions of the Deceased plus Associated Forensic Evidence 5.7.4 The Post-mortem Fate of the Deceased and Disposal of their Remains CHAPTER SIX: ANALYSIS OF THE DATA AND RESULTS 6.1 Condition and Preservation of Remains 6.1.1 State of Preservation 6.1.2 Post-mortem Modification 6.1.3 Completeness of Remains 6.2 Age at Death of the Victims 6.2.1 Age at Death of All Individuals 6.2.2 Age at Death in Children 6.3 Sex Specific Mortality Patterns 6.3.1 Sex Estimated by Soft Tissue, Bones, or Confirmed by Family of Deceased 6.3.2 Tentative Sex Based on Artefacts and Clothing 6.4 Location and Characteristics of Child Burial and Deposition Sites 6.4.1 Introduction 6.4.2 Location of Child Graves and Deposition Sites in Kosovo 6.4.3 Nature and Characteristics of Child Burial and Deposition Sites in Kosovo 6.4.4 Location of Child Graves and Deposition Sites in Bosnia-Herzegovina 6.4.5 Nature and Characteristics of Child Burial and Deposition Sites in Bosnia-Hezegovina 11 6.5 Cause of Death 6.5.1 Introduction 6.5.2 Cause of Death in Children and Adults 6.5.3 Numbers and Location of Injuries in Children 6.5.4 Relationship between Cause of Death, Country of Origin and Burial Site 6.6 Associated Evidence LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS BiH Bosnia-Herzegovina EULEX European Union Rule of Law Mission (in Kosovo) an independent state with its own schismatic church which functioned independently until the arrival of the Franciscans in the 1340s and the Ottoman Turks from the late 1380s (West, 2006: 299; Malcolm, 1996: 15). A significant event during the Turkish attempts to conquer the Balkan Peninsula was the Battle of Kosovo, which took place at Kosovo Polje in modern day Kosovo, on the 28 th June 1389 (Judah, 2000a: 5). Although battles of greater military significance had been fought previously in the Balkans, this one became symbolic of Serb valour as the brave Prince Lazaar refused to submit to Turkish rule. Despite the fact that the Serbs were defeated, Prince Lazaar became a national hero and, by association, the province of Kosovo became an important region in Serb folklore (
Excavations in 1991 beside Loth Road, Sanday, revealed a funerary site, including two cists, whic... more Excavations in 1991 beside Loth Road, Sanday, revealed a funerary site, including two cists, which contained cremated human bone, and several pits. The cremation burial in one of the cists was contained in a soapstone vessel. These features presented evidence for the sorting, selection and differential deposition of pyre remains. The cists and pits were surmounted by a kerbed cairn of unusual construction. Radiocarbon dates from the pits placed the site in the Early to Middle Bronze Age.
Forensic Services, UK T his presentation will focus on the applications of forensic anthropology ... more Forensic Services, UK T his presentation will focus on the applications of forensic anthropology and related sciences in complex cases. A review of recent developments in the field currently being utilized in UK forensic casework will be provided and a number of research projects aimed at improving knowledge in areas which will assist with criminal investigation will be summarized. These include the identification of small burnt fragments of bone using multiple techniques and the post-mortem preservation of human remains in a confined space. Three recent case studies will be presented. Two of these generated research projects which are currently ongoing and one utilized a number of scientific techniques, including anthropology which strengthened the evidence for the prosecution.
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 1998
Excavation at Cloburn Quarry, Cairngryffe Hill, Lanarkshire, of a Bronze Age ring cairn in 1986-7... more Excavation at Cloburn Quarry, Cairngryffe Hill, Lanarkshire, of a Bronze Age ring cairn in 1986-7 revealed a monument of considerable complexity. Its earlier phases appear to have consisted of timber and stone rings around a central cremation pit, with other cremations in small pits within the rings. The most intensive period of funerary activity followed the removal of these circular architectural elements and coincided with the deposition offelsite chips across the site. These later interments included a cremation accompanied by an entire Food Vessel Vase. The final phase saw the construction of the outer ring and an irregular platform cairn within it. A number of cremations were later put into the cairn. Radiocarbon dates of 3450 ±50 BP and 3460 + 60 BP (1890-1630 and 1910-1620 cal EC) suggest an Early Bronze Age date for the pre-cairn monument. The project was funded throughout by Historic Scotland and its predecessor department (SDD/HBM).
As part of the Historic Scotland Human Remains Call Off Contract, Glasgow Univ ersity Archaeologi... more As part of the Historic Scotland Human Remains Call Off Contract, Glasgow Univ ersity Archaeological Research Division (GUARD)undertook an archaeological excavation of a prehistoric urned cremation deposit within a boulder shelter at Glennan, Kilmartin, Argyll and Bute (NGR NM86220097). Analysis has shown the cremation was of a male probably aged between 25 and 40 years. He had suffered from slight spinal joint disease, and mild iron deficiency anaemia, though neither seems likely to have affected his general health. He was cremated shortly after death, together with a young sheep/goat, and their remains were subsequently picked from the pyre and co-mingled before burial in the urn. An unburnt retouched flint flake was recovered which may have accompanied the burial. The closest parallels for the cremation container are found within the tradition of Enlarged Food Vessel urns, a tradition that is poorly dated but probably has a currency in the first half of the second millennium BC. ...
This report provides an account of the excavations of a cropmark enclosure and other prehistoric ... more This report provides an account of the excavations of a cropmark enclosure and other prehistoric remains at Dryburn Bridge, near Innerwick in East Lothian. The excavations were directed over two seasons in 1978 and 1979 by Jon Triscott and David Pollock, and were funded by the Ancient Monuments Branch, Scottish Development Department. Features and artefacts of various periods were discovered during the excavations, including a Mesolithic chipped stone assemblage and pits associated with Impressed Ware pottery. A pair of distinctive burial cists dating to c2300-2000 cal BC was discovered, each containing two inhumations, one articulated and the other disarticulated; a Beaker vessel was found directly above one of the cists. By the mid first millennium cal BC a settlement had been founded on the site. Three successive settlement layouts can be interpreted from the excavated structures. The first two phases represent continuous occupation, dating to before 400 cal BC, and consisted of ...
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Notes the discovery of a receptacle containing a cremation deposit in the garden of a private hou... more Notes the discovery of a receptacle containing a cremation deposit in the garden of a private house and subsequent investigation at the find spot. The encrustation on the inside of the urn produced a radiocarbon date of 1626--1408 cal BC and it is suggested that the container may have been used for domestic purposes prior to burial. Post excavation analyses include: `Cordoned urn' (146--8) and `Chemical analysis' (151--3) by Andy Jones;`Cremated human remains' by Julie Roberts (148--9); `DNA analysis' by Gavin MacGregor (150); `Magnetic susceptibility' by John Syme Duncan (150--1); `Pollen and macroscopic plant remains' by Susan Ramsay (153--5); and `Quartz' by Mike Donnelly (155--6).
Evaluation and excavation along the route of the A92 between Dundee and Arbroath uncovered the re... more Evaluation and excavation along the route of the A92 between Dundee and Arbroath uncovered the remains of a variety of archaeological features. These included a possible medieval rectilinear enclosure at Cotside; scattered medieval features at Barry Manse; possible prehistoric features at Carlogie, Mains of Kelly and Three Mile Wood, one of which contained Late Neolithic grooved ware; two Bronze Age roundhouses at Auchrennie; and a promontory enclosure with associated Early Historic burials at Elliot.
As part of the Historic Scotland Human Remains Call Off Contract, Glasgow University Archaeologic... more As part of the Historic Scotland Human Remains Call Off Contract, Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division (GUARD) undertook an archaeological evaluation of the find spot of a human skull from a cairn at Loch Borralie, Sutherland (NGR NC 3790 6761). Excavation recovered the remains of two burials beneath the cairn and established that the cairn was multi-phased. One individual was an adult male (Skeleton 1), while the other was immature and of undeterminable sex (Skeleton 2). Both individuals showed signs of ill health, and dogs and/or rats appear to have gnawed their bones. A ring-headed pin was recovered close to Skeleton 1 during the excavation. A radiocarbon date was obtained from the left humerus of Skeleton 1 of 40 cal BC - cal AD210 at 2 sigma (OxA-10253). Excavation revealed that the cairn, broadly sub-rectangular in form, had a maximum height of 1.2m and was composed of large, sub-angular and sub-rounded rocks (including quartz and quartzite) and occasional round...
The specialist report on a small and poorly preserved quantity of human bone considers the eviden... more The specialist report on a small and poorly preserved quantity of human bone considers the evidence for minimum number of individuals, age at death, sex and mortuary practice.
Missing and Displaced 1.5 The Geographical Region of Study CHAPTER TWO: BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE... more Missing and Displaced 1.5 The Geographical Region of Study CHAPTER TWO: BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Historical and Political Background to the Conflicts 2.2 Childhood in Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina: Demography, Society and Education 2.2.1 The Definition of Childhood 2.2.2 Bosnia-Herzegovina 2.2.3 Kosovo 2.3 General Impact of the War on Children 2.4 Present State of Knowledge Regarding Deliberate Acts of Violence Commited against Children 2.5 The Role of the Forensic Anthropologist in the Investigation of War Crimes CHAPTER THREE: THE SITES 3.1 Selection of the Sites 3.2 The Sites as a Representative Sample 8 3.3 Place Names 3.4 Sites in Kosovo 3.5 Sites in Bosnia-Herzegovina CHAPTER FOUR: COLLECTION AND EXAMINATION OF EVIDENCE IN THE FIELD 4.1 Methodology Relating to the Exhumations and Data Collection 4.1.1 Terminology 4.1.2 Background and Collection of Data 4.1.3 Identification of Sites 4.1.4 Types of Grave and Deposition Sites Investigated 4.1.5 Exhumation and Recovery of Evidence 4.1.6 Integrity and Continuity of Evidence 4.2 Methodology Relating to the Determination of Age at Death, Sex and Stature in Decomposed, Skeletonised, Fragmented, Burnt and Incomplete Remains 4.2.1 Limitations of Anthropological Evidence 4.2.2 Estimation of Age at Death 4.2.3 Estimation of Sex 4.2.4 Estimation of Stature 4.2.5 Specific Methodological Problems for this Research 4.3 Methodology Relating to the Identification of Traumatic Injury and Cause of Death in Decomposed, Skeletonised, Fragmented, Burnt and Incomplete Remains 4.3.1 Characterisation of Traumatic Injury 4.3.2 The Mechanism of Fracture Healing 9 4.3.3 Distinguishing between Ante-mortem and Post-mortem Fractures in Decomposed and Skeletonised Remains 4.3.4 Distinguishing between Ante-mortem and Post-mortem Fractures in Fragmented and Incomplete Remains 4.3.5 Identifying Evidence of Trauma in Burnt Remains 4.3.6 Determining Cause of Death in Decomposed, Fragmented and Otherwise Modified Remains CHAPTER FIVE: THE DATA 5.1 Introduction to the Data 5.2 Summary of Research Questions and Criteria for Data Selection 5.3 Quality of the Data 5.4 Content and Format of Primary Forensic Data 5.5 Specific Problems Encountered 5.5.1 Problems Relating to Format 5.5.2 Errors and Inconsistencies in the Primary Data 5.5.3 Omissions 5.6 Integration of Datasets and Correction of Errors 5.6.1 Merging the Data 5.6.2 Editing the Integrated Database 5.6.3 Correction of Errors 5.6.4 Inputting the Additional Data from the Autopsy and Summary Reports 5.7 The End Product 5.7.1 The Sites from Which the Evidence was Recovered 5.7.2 The Biological Profile of the Deceased and Cause of Death 10 5.7.3 The Clothing and Personal Possessions of the Deceased plus Associated Forensic Evidence 5.7.4 The Post-mortem Fate of the Deceased and Disposal of their Remains CHAPTER SIX: ANALYSIS OF THE DATA AND RESULTS 6.1 Condition and Preservation of Remains 6.1.1 State of Preservation 6.1.2 Post-mortem Modification 6.1.3 Completeness of Remains 6.2 Age at Death of the Victims 6.2.1 Age at Death of All Individuals 6.2.2 Age at Death in Children 6.3 Sex Specific Mortality Patterns 6.3.1 Sex Estimated by Soft Tissue, Bones, or Confirmed by Family of Deceased 6.3.2 Tentative Sex Based on Artefacts and Clothing 6.4 Location and Characteristics of Child Burial and Deposition Sites 6.4.1 Introduction 6.4.2 Location of Child Graves and Deposition Sites in Kosovo 6.4.3 Nature and Characteristics of Child Burial and Deposition Sites in Kosovo 6.4.4 Location of Child Graves and Deposition Sites in Bosnia-Herzegovina 6.4.5 Nature and Characteristics of Child Burial and Deposition Sites in Bosnia-Hezegovina 11 6.5 Cause of Death 6.5.1 Introduction 6.5.2 Cause of Death in Children and Adults 6.5.3 Numbers and Location of Injuries in Children 6.5.4 Relationship between Cause of Death, Country of Origin and Burial Site 6.6 Associated Evidence LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS BiH Bosnia-Herzegovina EULEX European Union Rule of Law Mission (in Kosovo) an independent state with its own schismatic church which functioned independently until the arrival of the Franciscans in the 1340s and the Ottoman Turks from the late 1380s (West, 2006: 299; Malcolm, 1996: 15). A significant event during the Turkish attempts to conquer the Balkan Peninsula was the Battle of Kosovo, which took place at Kosovo Polje in modern day Kosovo, on the 28 th June 1389 (Judah, 2000a: 5). Although battles of greater military significance had been fought previously in the Balkans, this one became symbolic of Serb valour as the brave Prince Lazaar refused to submit to Turkish rule. Despite the fact that the Serbs were defeated, Prince Lazaar became a national hero and, by association, the province of Kosovo became an important region in Serb folklore (
Excavations in 1991 beside Loth Road, Sanday, revealed a funerary site, including two cists, whic... more Excavations in 1991 beside Loth Road, Sanday, revealed a funerary site, including two cists, which contained cremated human bone, and several pits. The cremation burial in one of the cists was contained in a soapstone vessel. These features presented evidence for the sorting, selection and differential deposition of pyre remains. The cists and pits were surmounted by a kerbed cairn of unusual construction. Radiocarbon dates from the pits placed the site in the Early to Middle Bronze Age.
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