Veldt fires in South Africa: Implications on osteometry and the biological profile

Abstract

Standard operating procedures for forensic anthropological analyses dictate that thermally altered remains should not be measured, hindering the creation of a biological profile. Few studies have addressed estimating biological parameters from burned remains, with the greatest focus of this research area being on cremated remains. However, veldt fires are more common than cremation in the South African forensic context. The aim of this study was to explore the degree of structural changes observed in domestic pig (Sus scrofa) bones associated with thermal destruction and the potential impact on the estimation of a biological profile using standard osteometric methods. A total of 96 pig femora were divided equally into two categories: fresh and dry. Within each category, equal samples were exposed to different durations of burning, namely, 5, 10, and 20 min. Ten standard femoral anthropological measurements were collected before and after burning. Technical error of measurement and Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests were used to assess changes in the femoral dimensions before and after burning. Most measurements were significantly different after burning, with the fresh bones decreasing in size by up to 7.8% and the dry bones decreasing in size by up to 4.0%. The magnitude of post‐burning measurement changes for both burn conditions was similar to, or smaller than has previously been reported for observer measurement errors of commonly used variables investigated for standard osteometric studies. Veldt fires are less intense than cremation, thus causing less shrinkage.

Testing of morphological sex estimation traits with a sex‐known collection: Ottoman period skulls

“…In anthropological studies (bioarcheological or forensic anthropological), a biological profile is created when unidentified skeletal remains are encountered, and sex estimation is an important part of this profile (Ubelaker, 2016). In forensic anthropology, sex estimation helps reduce the number of missing persons in databases and provides essential information about missing individuals (Liebenberg et al, 2023). In bioarcheological studies, sex estimation is used in understanding bio-social relationships, assessing and interpreting skeletal variation (Cockerill et al, 2022), and evaluating traumas (Gilmour et al, 2015) and pathologies (Trombley et al, 2019) by sex.…”

Comparison of Osteometric Dimensions of Lower end of Femoral Bone by Side of Femur among Bangladeshi Population

“…Bangladesh, with its diverse ethnic background, presents a unique opportunity for osteometric research. Preliminary studies have indicated potential variations in skeletal dimensions among the Bangladeshi population, but these have been largely inconclusive due to limited sample sizes or scope [13]. Moreover, most of these studies have focused on cranial dimensions, leaving a significant gap in the understanding of post-cranial skeletal elements like the femoral bone [14].…”