FORENSIC ASPECTS OF ANCIENT EGYPT
03/05/2010
Joyce Filer (Seminar Leader) with Peter Bolton
What a fascinating time I had at The Egyptian Forensic Study Day a few weeks before Christmas and what an enjoyable day it was. I really wasn’t too sure whether I knew enough about Egyptology or indeed Forensics to be able to benefit, however it proved to be an extremely rewarding day indeed. Joyce Filer is a highly effective communicator and my fears were soon allayed. It seems that the very first thing one needs to know when encountering bone at an archaeological site is whether it is human or animal. This may seem obvious, but quite often , after the intervention of grave robbers, many bones are mixed, discoloured (due to local geological conditions), moved by insects and small rodents etc. We were then introduced to the concept of aging of the skeleton. Growth plates on areas (especially on the long bones) which show distinct features from birth to adulthood, are a useful marker, as are eruption of teeth and, in the adult, the amount of wear especially on the molars. Of course lifestyle is also an important factor.
How do you tell the sex of an individual? Most people are aware of the differences in male and female hips in the adult, however the skull is also a good indicator of sex as well as the long bones such as the femur and humerus. However, we were warned that these differences were not as clear cut as we would like and therefore sex determination was really categorized as ‘definitely’, probably’ or ‘indeterminate’. We were further told we have to take into account ‘variation within the species’ (BIO 113/4 take note!).
Adult female Nubian. Gabati, Sudan. (c.400-500 AD)
© Joyce Filer
From a forensic point of view, hair and skin can be well preserved and a great deal about lifestyle and diet can be gleaned from these tissues. Finally, we were introduced to evidence of diseases which are still prevalent today such as arthritis, tuberculosis, leprosy, malaria and bilharzia (the latter two parasitic infections). During the day, there was an ongoing quiz with various artifacts being displayed-I am pleased to be able to tell you I gained an A- (honest!). The first prize in the raffle was a fascinating book, Disease by Joyce Filer, which examines forensic evidence associated with these conditions. I will leave you to guess who won that prize!!
News Item for the Richmond "web news" provided by: Dr Peter A. Bolton
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