Trauma Analysis Lab: Understanding Ante-, Peri-, and Postmortem Injuries

McMaster University ANTHROP3FA3 Department of Anthropology Fall 2023 LAB 6: Trauma Analysis (10%) STUDENT NAME: Rozhin Enamzadeh # 400295728 The purpose of this lab is to gain practice assessing trauma, differentiating between ante-, peri- and postmortem trauma and working with radiographs for personal identification. In a separate Word document, provide your answer to each question. Please do not submit a Pages document. Make sure it is clear which question you are answering (i.e. Station 1, a) answer, b) answer). Cranial Trauma (8 marks) a. Observe these photos of a left parietal with clear evidence of trauma (Ai overview, Aii close-up). To the best of your ability, describe the trauma present and determine whether it is blunt force trauma, sharp force trauma or projectile trauma. Explain how you made this determination (i.e. what characteristic features are specific to this trauma type). Be specific, concise, and use appropriate terminology (4marks). Image Ai (overview) Image Aii (close-up) a) Image A displays a fracture revealing bone compression, showcasing a depressed fracture towards the brain, a hinge fracture, and a circular concentric fracture (one circle has formed around the trauma) indicating blunt trauma. This trauma, characterized by its slow-loading nature, allows the bone to bend, resulting in permanent deformation. The displacement remains incomplete due to a segment of the bone remaining attached, specifically resulting from the hinge fracture. Page 1 of 3

McMaster University ANTHROP3FA3 Department of Anthropology Fall 2023 b. Now compare the images from part A of this question, to the image below (left frontal). Determine the timing for each of these injuries (ante-, peri- or postmortem) – that is the timing of the injury in A and the timing for the injury in B. Explain how you made this determination (i.e. what features are present). Be specific, concise, and use appropriate terminology (4marks) Image B b) In Image A, the trauma appears to be perimortem, evident from its sharp edges with hinging and the absence of healing indications. The clear presence of blunt force trauma links it to the prognosis related to the cause of death. On the other hand, Image B's injury appears to be antemortem, showcased by the presence of healing with partial reconstruction of the fractured edges and blunting around all areas. There seems to be a potential thickening of the bone but confirming this would require further practice and expertise in analysis. Page 2 of 3

McMaster University ANTHROP3FA3 Department of Anthropology Fall 2023 Page 3 of 3

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Lab 6-Trauma and Identification

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