Forensic taphonomy is the study of the postmortem changes to
human remains, focusing largely on environmental effects including
decomposition in soil and water and interaction with plants,
insects, and other animals. While other books have focused on
subsets such as forensic botany and entomology, Manual of Forensic
Taphonomy is the first update of the entire domain in more than ten
years and the first book to consider distinguishing among multiple
types of taphonomic changes.
Edited by two of the most distinguished experts in the field,
this volume examines taphonomic alterations to bone and related
taphonomic processes common to cases of forensic interest. Specific
chapters address a range of issues related to:
- Varying burial environments
- Animal scavenging and transport
- Fluvial and human transport
- Cultural modifications
- Marine environments
- Subaerial weathering
- Thermal alteration
- Recovery methods used in collecting the remains
The book discusses inherent variations in survivability of
different bones, degradation of DNA in different environments, and
organisms involved in soft-tissue decomposition which result in
skeletonization. It also describes microscopic alterations, color
changes, macroscopic physical damage of multiple types, and bone
loss through dispersal away from the location of initial body
deposition. The authors present methods that can be employed to
determine the timing of taphonomic damage (perimortem vs.
postmortem) as well as checklists for the collection of microscopic
and macroscopic taphonomic data.
The ability to recognize taphonomic characteristics and
discriminate between osseous alterations with similar appearances
but dissimilar origins is essential to those engaged in the
analysis of skeletal remains. This volume is an ideal guide for
students and non-specialists as well as a reference manual for
professionals.
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