A Review and Conceptual Model of Factors Correlated with Postmortem Root Band Formation

Abstract

It is generally accepted within the forensic trace evidence community that a postmortem root band (PMRB) can appear in the root of hairs attached to remains during decomposition. Presently, the specific sequences of events and/or exact molecular signals that lead to the formation of a PMRB are not well understood. The published literature addressing the abiotic and biotic factors that correlate with the formation of PMRBs is reviewed and a conceptual model for the formation of PMRBs is proposed.

Archaeological human hair in a burial context: Microscopical evaluation of samples from Iași, Romania (18th–19th centuries)

“…; Hietpas et al . ; Donfack and Castillo ). The PMRB appears to be composed of elongated air spaces with a parallel orientation, and can be identified in both human scalp hair and mammalian non‐human hair (Tridico et al .…”

“…; Hietpas et al . ; Donfack and Castillo ). Collins () shows in research on hair degradation (cited also by Donfack and Castillo ) that temperature is a major factor in the appearance of PMRB, accelerating the process at higher values.…”

“…; Donfack and Castillo ). Collins () shows in research on hair degradation (cited also by Donfack and Castillo ) that temperature is a major factor in the appearance of PMRB, accelerating the process at higher values. Regarding the environment, studies showed that humid and aqueous conditions are strong corelated with PMRBs, but these alone do not lead to advanced decomposition changes, but that a complex network of variables is involved (Domzalski ; Koch et al .…”

“…Hietpas et al . () show that the presence of PMRBs may be due to the degradation of the non‐keratin IMM in the pre‐keratin region of the anagen hairs, concluding that the taphonomic process is influenced by the synergistical action of factors (Donfack and Castillo ).…”

“…Hair is a structure among all mammals that is subject to the forces of evolution, being also a ‘snapshot of life' within the body and providing valuable information to bioarchaeology and forensic science (Robertson ; Taru and Backwell ; Damaso et al . ; Donfack and Castillo ).…”