Forensic pathologists frequently consult anthropologists for the identification of skeletonized human remains. These remains may be the result of criminal activity or remains that were unearthed because of erosion, or during construction projects. In some cases, human remains that had been previously buried in a cemetery may be the subject of a forensic investigation. Early recognition of cemetery remains prevents unnecessary efforts and conserves precious resources. One of the key characteristics of cemetery remains is the presence of embalmed tissue. However, there are countries where embalming is not a common practice, and other clues must be sought for identifying previously buried remains. Current funerary customs in Greece and, in particular, the tradition of exhumations result in a large number of misplaced human remains. The present study presents examples of cemetery remains from Greece and offers guidelines for recognizing changes on skeletal remains that may be indicative of a cemetery origin. Location of discovery, condition of the remains, and the types of associated artifacts are all factors that aid forensic anthropologists in identifying cemetery remains.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PAF.0b013e3182156405 | DOI Listing |
Am J Biol Anthropol
January 2025
Departamento de Antropología e Historia, Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
Objectives: Burial space reuse and prolonged interaction with the dead were common practices in the Isthmo-Colombian Area, dating back to at least the Early Ceramic Period in the Greater Coclé region. However, biological and social relationships of individuals interred in collective burial contexts remain unclear. Here, we explore intra-cemetery biological variation through a biological distance analysis of individuals interred in large mortuary features from the first mortuary horizon at the site of Cerro Juan Díaz in Panamá.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntiquity
December 2024
UMR 8164-HALMA (Université de Lille, CNRS, MC) France & Cedarc/Musée du Malgré-Tout, Belgium.
The ancient cemetery of Pommerœul, Belgium, was classified as Gallo-Roman in the 1970s', yielding 76 cremation graves and one inhumation. However, subsequent radiocarbon analyses dated the inhumation to the Late Neolithic (4-3 millennium calBC). We report osteoarchaeological analysis indicating that the inhumation was composed of bones from multiple individuals, afterwards buried as "one".
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Paleopathol
December 2024
BioArCh Research Group, Department of Archaeology, University of York, York YO10 5NG, United Kingdom. Electronic address:
Objective: Our objectives are twofold: to analyse the frequency of leprosy-related pathological lesions in the cemetery of Sant Llàtzer Hospital (12th-18th c.); and to examine how individuals affected by the disease were perceived and integrated into society during that period in Barcelona.
Materials: The skeletal remains of 87 individuals recovered from the cemetery.
PLoS One
November 2024
Department of Biological Anthropology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
Female burials equipped with weapons, a topic of interest among scholars and the general public, remain rare occurrences in archaeological records. The interpretation of such cases requires an interdisciplinary approach and a comprehensive evaluation of the available evidence, particularly regarding the sex and potential lifestyle of the deceased. Consequently, data on specific populations, regions, and time periods remain scarce.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrop Med Infect Dis
November 2024
Medical Entomology Laboratory, Vector and Pest Control Unit, Department of Epidemiology, Andrija Štampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Mirogojska c. 16, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
and are invasive mosquito species that are causing great public concern. have successfully spread in Croatia, established in both the coastal and continental parts of the country, while is invading temperate climate areas. The invasive species are particularly attracted to the black plastic water containers and flower vases in cemeteries where they oviposit their eggs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!