Forensic Anthropology is the application of Physical Anthropological techniques to the solving of criminal cases. This section is a beginners guide to this discipline. Warning, this area is image intensive.

Part 1—Excavation

	1.Discovery—After reports of suspicious activity, excavation reveals the top of a human skull. Note the blue and green flags that mark the outline of the suspected grave.
	2.Excavation Commences—The skeleton is slowly revealed. Excavation is undertaken slowly and methodically to ensure the recovery of clues.
	3.Close-up of Skeleton—Skeleton appears complete, with a gray t-shirt, black shorts and a pair of white socks. This individual is clearly from recent times and thus the concern of the police and not Archaeologists or Historians.
	4.Screening for Clues—Soil excavated from the grave is screened through a fine mesh to discovery important clues. Even the smallest scrap can make a case.
	5.Recovery—Peter Ferdinando, M.A. begins the process of recovering the body for transportation to the lab.
	6.Transport—Material is bagged for its own protection and tagged with relevant information prior to transportation to the lab.

Coming Soon: Part 2—The Lab

How do Forensic Anthropologists determine age, height, sex, race/ethnicity, and help to identify the deceased?

Please note, skeletal materials pictured are replicas and this ‘crime scene’ was a mock-up to teach interested members of the public. In the future The Palm Beach Museum of Natural History may offer Adult Education classes in Forensic Anthropology. Please check back for further information.