Related Guides
Featured New Resource: Forensic Anthropology Community
- Forensic Anthropology Community Welcome to this community-based resource for forensic anthropology practitioners and students. The goal of this page is to share information and to help provide resources. Further, the information shared here is aimed at fostering collegiality and furthering efforts to diversify the discipline.
Additional Resources for Forensic Anthropology
- Database for Forensic Anthropology in the United States, 1962-1991 (ICPSR 2581) This project was undertaken to establish a computerized skeletal database composed of recent forensic cases to represent the present ethnic diversity and demographic structure of the United States population. The intent was to accumulate a forensic skeletal sample large and diverse enough to reflect different socioeconomic groups of the general population from different geographical regions of the country in order to enable researchers to revise the standards being used for forensic skeletal identification.
- Age and Sex Estimation from the Human Clavicle in the American Population, 1912-1938 and 1986-1998 (ICPSR 25901) This study investigated skeletal maturation and gender dimorphism in the human clavicle in the American population.
- Tool Mark Analysis of Cut Costal Cartilage, 2009-2010 [United States] (ICPSR 28741) The study was designed to establish the potential error rate associated with the generally accepted method of tool mark analysis of cut marks in costal cartilage. Three knives with different blade types were used to make experimental cut marks in costal cartilage of pigs.
- Utility of Whole-Body CT Imaging in the Post Mortem Detection of Elder Abuse and Neglect in Maryland, 2007 (ICPSR 34201) The general and original hypothesis to be explored in this study was that multi-slice computed tomography (CT) imaging of decedents in whom elder abuse was suspected or reported might enhance the work of the medical examiner by providing novel information not readily available at conventional autopsy and/or by ruling out the need for complete conventional autopsy in cases in which abuse findings were negative, thereby providing: time and cost efficiencies, additional evidentiary support in the
- Written in Bone, Smithsonian Institution Written in Bone was a popular exhibit in the Museum for almost five years (February 7, 2009 to January 6, 2014); this website was developed originally to enhance the information available in the exhibit and continues as a freestanding entity now that the exhibit is closed.
- Investigating Forensics Interactive forensic anthropology cases: recovery, analysis, identification.
- Open Research Scan Archive (Penn Museum) The Open Research Scan Archive (formerly: Penn Cranial CT Database) contains high resolution (sub-millimeter) scans of human and non-human crania from the Penn University Museum and other institutions. The archive is continually growing as new scans are obtained, either of specimens held here at the Museum at Penn, or via contributions from other researchers and institutions
- Standard and Guidance for Forensic Archaeologists This standard and guidance document has been developed by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists [UK] and an advisory group comprising forensic archaeologists who had previously been accepted by the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners through a process of peer review.
- Forensic Anthropology Database for Assessing Methods Accuracy (FADAMA) The forensic anthropology database for assessing methods accuracy (FADAMA) is a FREE online forensic case database for documenting forensic anthropology methods and case outcomes. It serves the broader forensic anthropology community of practitioners, researchers and students. The main purpose of this database is to create avenues for forensic anthropology methods development and improvement by providing detailed data on method use, method outcomes, and individual and cumulative method accuracy.
- The Goldman Osteometric Data Set The Goldman Data Set consists of osteometric measurements taken from 1538 human skeletons dating from throughout the Holocene. Links to the data are at the bottom of this page. Links to sample provenience and dating information may be found in links below.
- Osteological Collections (Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe) The map of identified osteological collections created by FASE is a free-to-use source of information for researchers, students or anthropology enthusiasts. The map represents a short summary of information available for osteological collections from all over the world, with the main focus on modern identified collections.
- The Visible Human Project (National Library of Medicine) The NLM Visible Human Project has created publicly-available complete, anatomically detailed, three-dimensional representations of a human male body and a human female body. Specifically, the VHP provides a public-domain library of cross-sectional cryosection, CT, and MRI images obtained from one male cadaver and one female cadaver. The Visible Man data set was publicly released in 1994 and the Visible Woman in 1995.
- Digitised Diseases Digitised Diseases is an open access resource featuring human bones which have been digitised using 3D laser scanning, CT and radiography. The resource focuses on a wide range of pathological type specimens from archaeological and historical medical collections, specifically examples of chronic diseases which affect the human skeleton for which many of the physical changes are often not directly observable within clinical practice.
- MorphoPASSE MorphoPASSE is a free, interactive program designed to estimate sex using morphological traits of the pelvis and skull. MorphoPASSE contains ordinal data collected from over 2,500 individuals from 15 skeletal collections that represent five broad geographical ancestral backgrounds. Both contemporary and historical samples are included, thereby making the database applicable to modern forensic casework, as well as bioarchaeological cases.
- Osteoware Osteoware is an easy to learn software program designed to assist in the documentation of human skeletal remains. It provides for the real-time data entry of quantitative and qualitative observations into a structured query language (SQL) relational database.
- National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMUS) NamUs is a national information clearinghouse and resource center for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases across the United States. Funded and administered by the National Institute of Justice and managed through a cooperative agreement with the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas, all NamUs resources are provided at no cost to law enforcement, medical examiners, coroners, allied forensic professionals, and family members of missing persons.
- Geometric Morphometric Classification of Crania for Forensic Scientists This website contains downloads for the software 3D-ID as well as a 3D coordinate database with modern cranial remains.
- eSkeletons eSkeletons provides an interactive environment in which to examine and learn about skeletal anatomy through our osteology database.
- FOROST The FOROST project aims to develop a globally accessible metabase serving records and images of forensic osteology specimens that can be used as a reference for forensics workers worldwide.
- 3Skull 3Skull (or ThreeSkull) facilitates the capture of three-dimensional landmark coordinates using a Microscribe digitizer.
- ABDOU ABDOU uses transition analysis to provide age estimates from skeletal indicators with explicit probabilities.
- Fordisc Fordisc is a computer program that uses statistical methods to estimate sex, ancestry, and stature from skeletal measurements. Fordisc employs multivariate statistical classification methods including linear discriminant function analysis.
- (hu)MANid (hu)MANid is a FREE, web-based GUI that is designed to evaluate sex and ancestry of human mandibles.
- Isolocate Isolocate is the next-generation tool for determining the region of origin for bone and tooth isotopes of unknown individuals. The GUI will provide the statistical likelihood for an one given sample to originate from a variety of world-wide populations.
- KidStats Application to make sub-adult age and sex estimations based on long-bone measurements using MARS and FDA models.
- Atlas of Tooth Development and Eruption Age estimation by teeth.
- Teeth Identification Module (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) This web site includes two practice modules for deciduous and permanent teeth identification.
- Practice Lab on the Skull Skull bone and feature quiz.
- Anthropomotron – Forensic Anthropology Estimates Made Easy Anthropomotron gathers and simplifies calculations used by anthropologists to estimate the height and body mass of an individual based on a few key measurements of their skeleton. For example, the user can enter the length of a femur and Anthropomotron will provide an estimate of the individual’s full standing height tailored to their sex and ancestry.
Forensic Anthropology @ Boston University
- MS in Forensic Anthropology, BU School of Medicine The Master of Science program in Forensic Anthropology offers a variety of courses in forensic anthropological techniques and procedures, human anatomy, osteology, pathology, human remains recovery, death investigation, research design, expert witness testimony and forensic science.
Professional Associations
- Society of Forensic Anthropologists (SOFA) The purpose of SOFA is to encourage communication and cooperation among forensic anthropologists, primarily those working for a medical examiner, coroner's office, university or relevant government agency. SOFA is committed to scientific and ethical standards, professional growth and educating the medicolegal community on the use of forensic anthropology. SOFA provides a forum for peer review, mutual support and the collection of case statistics.
- American Board of Forensic Anthropology The American Board of Forensic Anthropology was incorporated in 1977 as a non-profit organization to provide, in the public interest and the advancement of science, a program of certification in forensic anthropology.
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences The American Academy of Forensic Sciences is a multi-disciplinary professional organization that provides leadership to advance science and its application to the legal system. The objectives of the Academy are to promote professionalism, integrity, competency, education, foster research, improve practice, and encourage collaboration in the forensic sciences. Sections include Anthropology.
- American Association of Biological Anthropologists Biological anthropology is a science that deals with the adaptations, variability, and evolution of human beings and their living and fossil relatives. Because it studies human biology in the context of human culture and behavior, biological anthropology is also a social science. The AABA is the world's leading professional organization for biological anthropologists.
- Black in BioAnth (BiBA) Collective The Black in BioAnth (BiBA) Collective seeks to provide a community and support system for biological anthropologists who navigate the world racialized as Black individuals.The collective is inclusive of all Black biological anthropologists across Africa and the African diaspora, as well as of Black scholars in allied fields
