Digital Modeling for Bioarchaeologists

Wrobel, Gabriel D.; Biggs, Jack; Hair, Amy L.

doi:10.1017/aap.2018.47

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 20 publications

(22 reference statements)

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“…Three‐dimensional data acquisition and analysis is at the forefront of modern forensic anthropology (Seguchi & Dudzik, ). Surface scan data from 3D scanners and photogrammetry models―along with advanced analytical methods, such as sliding semi‐landmarks―will revolutionize ancestry estimation (Wrobel, Biggs, & Hair, ). Imagine quantifying within and between group variations in nasal bone surface contour from CT data or advanced fractal analysis of the zygomaticomaxillary suture.…”

Section: Ancestry Estimation Challenges and Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ancestry estimation in forensic anthropology: A review

Dunn

Spiros

Kamnikar

et al. 2020

WIREs Forensic Science

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Forensic anthropologists assist law enforcement agencies and medical examiner's offices with investigations involving human remains, providing insight into trauma analysis, the establishment of postmortem interval, and the estimation of biological profile data. Ancestry is considered one of the more difficult aspects of the biological profile, due in large part to the complicated relationship between skeletal morphology and social constructs. The methods used to estimate ancestry rely on the correlation between skeletal morphology, geographic origin, and an individual's social race. While there is a well‐documented contemptible history associated with the development of ancestry estimation methods in biological anthropology, many of the more traditional, now antiquated, methods are still used in some laboratories. The push to improve the framework within which ancestry data are analyzed requires validation and reassessment for each method in addition to the development of novel approaches utilizing modern technological advances. An array of software programs designed to aid in ancestry estimation is available. These advances do not signal the end of ancestry‐related research. Indeed, several areas seemingly stagnated by tradition and time require further study through more than simply review and rarefaction. The future of ancestry estimation research centers on: (a) abandoning the trait list approach, (b) rejecting the three‐group model, (c) establishing larger and more representative reference data, (d) assessing the utility of mixed method models, and (e) developing new statistical approaches and updating current software tools. This article is categorized under: Forensic Anthropology > Ancestry Determination Forensic Medicine > Historical Perspectives Forensic Anthropology > Anthropology in Mass Disaster & War Crime Contexts

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Section: Ancestry Estimation Challenges and Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ancestry estimation in forensic anthropology: A review

Dunn

Spiros

Kamnikar

et al. 2020

WIREs Forensic Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A related challenge is the increasing use of electronic data collection systems to record data, such as tablets or GIS for mapping and laptops for digital data entry. Replacing paper forms and traditional photographs with electronic records solves problems of accessibility and accuracy in data entry and provides faster, better burial documentation (Novotny 2019; Osterholtz 2019; Wrobel 2019). New technology, however, also creates novel challenges with hardware and software failures and potential data loss.…”

Section: Excavation Strategies For Seated and Other Complex Burialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Excavation and Curation Strategies for Complex Burials in Tropical Environments

Freiwald

2019

Adv. archaeol. pract.

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Bioarchaeologists often are faced with the challenge of managing field excavations and lab analyses of skeletal remains at the same time—along with student and staff training and curation of osteological remains—and cannot be in two places at once. This article presents strategies for the recovery of human remains useful for large projects where multiple burials must be recovered simultaneously, remains are poorly preserved, and complex burial practices such as seated body positions and commingled remains are present. The excavation and curation strategies are presented in the context of the seated burial practice in the Maya region, a funerary tradition that requires detailed documentation of the burial as well as the body in order to understand its meaning. Classic period (AD 250-900) seated burials do not fit a single biological profile; in fact, the taphonomic profile of one seated individual at Actuncan, Belize, suggests a closer relationship to body processing and/or context than to status. Tropical and semitropical environmental conditions also require modified curation procedures, which present ethical challenges as well as physical ones.

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“…Wrobel and colleagues (2019) discuss digital repositories as a means to address the curation and preservation of human remains that also can improve access to collections of skeletal (and other) materials for research. They describe the potential benefits of 3-D models for study of skeletal morphometrics, observations such as trauma and taphonomy, and other lines of research.…”

Section: Themes In Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Considering Conservation of Human Skeletal Remains in Archaeological Contexts

Freiwald

Wolf

2019

Adv. archaeol. pract.

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The articles in this issue present bioarchaeological case studies from across the globe, including North and Central America, East Asia, Europe, and the Near East. Some bioarchaeology projects are new and others are decades old, but common challenges emerge as researchers apply conservation standards to real situations in the field: a lack of training or resources for long-term curation of human remains, the lag between excavation and analysis of remains, and environmental challenges that include melting permafrost, tropical storms, and a variety of pests such as molds, fungi, bats, snakes, and insects. The studies also address ethical considerations about the use of digital images of human remains, molecular and isotopic methods that require the destruction of human tissue samples, the ability of fast-paced cultural resource management (CRM) projects to address the needs of descendant communities, and the responsibility that we have to the people we study. Techniques for addressing these challenges include new computer programs, more advanced photographic software, and research on the effects of conservation techniques that provide new “standards” for bioarchaeologists. We highlight the importance of each contribution and discuss the future of conservation in bioarchaeology.

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Digital Modeling for Bioarchaeologists

Cited by 10 publications

References 20 publications

Ancestry estimation in forensic anthropology: A review

Ancestry estimation in forensic anthropology: A review

Excavation and Curation Strategies for Complex Burials in Tropical Environments

Considering Conservation of Human Skeletal Remains in Archaeological Contexts

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