Human vs Non Human ANT 265 PDF

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Human Vs Non Human: Lecture Notes, Definitions, Examples...

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Human vs Non-Human Bone + MNI Forensic Anthropology 265 3 Questions: 1. Is it really bone? 2. Is it human or non-human? 3. How many? (MNI) Is it bone? ● Many materials, including roots, wood fragments, shell, rocks and man-made objects (like styrofoam and plastic) are often confused with bone ● Generally, the more weathered and dirty, the more it looks like bone Bone is.. ● Surface: compact, some graininess ● Color/ Luster: Creamy white to yellowish brown with a dull luster ● Internal Structure: porous, spongy Other materials… ● Rock: Color is gray, tan or brown. Internally not porous/ spongy ● Shell: Smooth, weathers to white -> gray. Pearly luster ● Wood: Non-compact. Fibrous ● Pottery: Compact, smooth. Not spongy ● Plastic/ Styrofoam: non-compact, non-porous, non-spongy *It is okay to bend evidence upon discovery due to diagnostic process

Is it human? Strategy for Differenentiating Human and Non-human: “I don’t know where every sand barge on the river is, but I know where they ain’t” - Unknown Riverboat Captain *Encourages to learn the human skull as well as possible Distinguishing Aspects: ● Maturity: Adult animal bones have fused epiphysis; immature human bones do not ● Architecture / Function: Human bones have different functions than other mammals; leads to different shapes of the same bone

Functional Areas: ● Three areas are useful for differentiating human from non-human elements: ○ Skull ○ Dentition (diet) ○ Long Bones (locomotion) General Guidelines: ● Human bone is relatively lightweight compared to other mammals, but denser than birds, amphibians or reptiles ● Human upper limbs are not involved in locomotion; in most other animals they are. ● Human teeth are relatively small for our body size Cortical Thickness….

*See Professor Barretts notes for diagram of Cortical Thickness

Resources.. ● A book on comparative mammalian morphology, such as Skulls and Bones; a guide to the skeletal structures of North american mammals.  By glenn seafros (1995 stackpole books: mechanicsburg, pa. ● Access to a comparative collection ● The aid of a trained zooarchaeologist

Bones of Confusion ● Clavicle: Cat clavicles look similar to human clavicles only smaller ● Black Bear phalanges look like human phalanges, but with a raised ridge on the distal aspect ○

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** Look for ridge in bear phalanges

Humans do not have a bacula (penile bone) ○

** Look for juvenile rib bones (in humans)

Other Methods: ● Histology: Use of osteon counting or blood-typing to eliminate specimen as human ● DNA (expensive)

How Many? M.N.I ● Minimum Number of Individuals: Minimum number of individuals necessary to account for all elements in the assemblage Never assume that remains are from just one person ● If you identify bones are human.. Than minimum number is 1. (Example: If you have 100 bones… then, theoretically, you could have 100 different people) ● I.e. feature 7 of Lakeview Heights Farm **Don’t assume on death scene that you are studying only 1 victim Steps to Determine MNI 1. Remove  all non-human elements 2. Group Elements (bone types: humerii, femurs, etc..) 3. Side elements 4. For each side / elements, count number 5. Whichever side / element is the highest = your MNI *In final report, demonstrate how this is only one person (or how it is multiple people) estimate of MNI (doesn’t have to be super complicated, just replicate the steps above!)...