The present research examined the effects of compound bows and crossbows on the remains of Sus scrofa and Odocoileus virginianus. Isolated pig heads and white-tailed deer necks were impacted by three forms of arrow heads: the broad-head tip, conical field-tip, and bullet field-tip from both the compound bow and the crossbow. The structural design of the arrowheads was examined to understand their level of impact, as well as, the velocities of the compound bow and crossbow were calculated and compared. The total number of impact marks for the experiment was 55. It was hypothesized that the compound bow would have a greater extent of trauma to bone than the crossbow due to the higher velocity created from a longer power stroke. It was also hypothesized that the broad-head arrow tip will create larger fracture patterns on bone due to the three-blade-prong design compared to the oval shape of both the conical field-tip and bullet field-tip. Through the use of one-way ANOVA and Pearson’s Chi-Square, the results show no direct correlation between the difference in the type of weapon used or the arrow tip used. The results show the vast majority of impacts are penetration with shapes that roughly resemble the cross-section of the type of tip used. The results, however, did not support both hypotheses due to the limited number of impact marks and sample size of the experiment. Further experiments are required to assess the extent to which it is possible to distinguish between arrow related osseous trauma.

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The crania from a mass grave associated to the Battle of Good Friday (1520) in Uppsala were re-examined in this study. The total skeletal material has been analysed before, but blunt force trauma was excluded and therefore a comprehensive trauma pattern could not be presented. In the current study, the perimortem cranial weapon-related trauma was examined by reconstructing the crania and conducting a trauma analysis. Standardised methods were used to identify and document blunt, sharp and puncture trauma. The results reveal that new blunt and sharp force trauma as well as one puncture trauma could be identified. Furthermore, the majority of weapon-related trauma were identified as sharp injuries, less than ten percent as blunt injuries and a few as puncture injuries. The cranial trauma pattern is interpreted to reflect the battle tactics, the situations in the battle, as well as the armour and weapons used by the soldiers. The notion of sharp force injuries forming the majority of trauma could imply that bladed weapons were used the most and blunt weapons were used less or caused less injuries visible on bone. The dominance of cranial trauma might indicate that head was a primary target. The trauma pattern implies that blunt weapons were used at least in face-to-face combat and bladed weapons were used in a variety of situations from face-to-face fight to more chaotic situations and against fleeing soldiers. Most of the new documented injuries were observable or easier to observe during or after the cranial reconstruction, indicating that reconstructing the crania is important for observing and identifying the maximal number of injuries possible. / Kranier från en massgrav kopplad till Långfredagsslaget 1520 i Uppsala har analyserats. Hela skelettmaterialet har undersökts tidigare, men trubbig våld fick uteslutas och en komplett bild av traumamönster har tidigare inte presenterats. I denna studie undersöktes spår efter perimortalt vapenrelaterad våld via rekonstruktioner av kranierna och efterföljande trauma-analyser. Standardiserade metoder användes för att identifiera och dokumentera spår av skarpt, trubbig och penetrerande våld. Resultaten visar att nya spår av trubbiga och skarpa skador samt en penetrationsskada kunde identifieras. Vidare framkom att majoriteten av vapenrelaterade skador var skarpa, mindre än en tiondedel var trubbiga och få var penetrerande. Skademönstren hos kranierna tolkas reflektera stridstekniker och situationen i slaget, samt möjlig utrustning och vapen som användes i slaget. Att majoriteten av skador är skarpa kan tyda på att blankvapen var de mest använda och att krossvapen användes mindre, eller orsakade färre skador som syns på ben. Det stora antalet kraniala skador tyder på att huvud var ett primärt mål för huggen. Skademönstren indikerar att krossvapen användes åtminstone i närstrid och att blankvapen användes i varierande situationer från närstrid till mer kaotiska stridsituationer och motflyende män. De flesta av nya vapenrelaterade skador kunde observeras eller blev lättare att observeras under eller efter rekonstruktionen av kranier. Detta tyder på att rekonstruera kranier är viktigt för att identifiera det mesta möjliga antal skador.

The work of an international team of forensic experts led to the final determination that Salvador Allende, former Chilean president (1970-1973), committed suicide by firearm during the military coup against his socialist government on September 11, 1973. Included in the final report was the anthropologists’ skeletal trauma analysis documenting the gunshot trauma to the skull as consistent with the passage of a high velocity projectile under the chin and through the cranial cavity. The anthropological report was part of a multidisciplinary effort to finally address the questions surrounding the manner of Salvador Allende’s death, and to eliminate speculations that he was killed by the military. Although it is not the role of the anthropologist to determine manner of death in a forensic case, expertise in osteology and the biomechanics of high velocity projectile trauma to bone may contribute to the pathologist’s final conclusions about manner of death in firearm fatalities. Previous research looking at variation between homicides and suicides in firearm fatalities has used soft tissue trauma analysis and autopsy reports to identify common characteristics specific to these manners of death. They have found that anatomic location of entrance trauma, bullet direction, number of shots, and range of fire are important factors in understanding this variation. Anthropological research has not explored these differences as they are expressed on the skeleton, however; knowledge of variation in skeletal gunshot trauma, between self-inflicted and other-inflicted gunshot wounds, can better equip anthropologists to report pertinent information that can lead to accurate determinations of manner of death. The current study explores the factors of anatomic location of entrance trauma, bullet direction, and number of shots, with additional consideration to fracture severity and fracture patterns, in place of range of fire. The William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection and the Antioquia Modern Skeletal Reference Collection provided a total sample of 15 suicide and 19 homicide cases for this analysis. This research found that localized entry sites to the front and right sides of the head and to the chest were common in suicides. Entries to the left and front sides of the head and to the posterior side of the head and body were common in homicides. Further analysis of sequence of shots and entry sites revealed that the front of the head, common in both homicides and suicides, was more common in secondary gunshot wounds in homicides. Bullet directions common in suicides were right to left through the sagittal plane, and anterior to posterior through the coronal plane. The left to right direction through the sagittal plane was most common for homicides, whereas the anterior to posterior and posterior to anterior directions through the coronal plane were almost equally represented in homicides. Further analysis of sequence of shots and bullet direction revealed that the anterior to posterior direction was more common in secondary gunshot wounds in homicides. The transverse plane did not show statistically significant differences between homicides and suicides for either the inferior to superior or superior to inferior directions. For number of shots, homicides more commonly expressed multiple gunshot wounds and suicides more commonly expressed single gunshot wounds. Fracture severity analyses revealed that the presence of tertiary fractures (concentric fractures) in entrance wounds was more common in suicides. The presence of secondary fractures (radiating fractures) as the most severe fracture in entrance wounds was more common in homicides. These results suggest that fracture severity is higher in suicides, based on the amount of kinetic energy dispersed at impact, although it is unclear what factor influences these differences (range of fire, type of firearm, caliber of bullet, etc.). There was also a significant difference between homicides and suicides in fracture patterns for both entrance and exit wounds. These findings are based on a small sample and should be considered with caution, especially for use in a forensic setting. Further research is crucial to better understanding the variations seen in this study. Specifically, sequencing of shots should be further explored for its utility in distinguishing homicides and suicides as well as providing a better understanding of multi-shot cases. Additionally, more research should be conducted on fracture severity and fracture patterns with specific consideration to the factors that influence the variation seen between homicides and suicides.

Compared to other methods for digital modeling, photogrammetry is portable, user-friendly, and cost-effective. Despite the potential benefits to the subfield of bioarchaeology, few investigations into this technology have occurred. This research attempts to fill the gap by investigating the accuracy of photogrammetry for recording antemortem cranial depression fractures (CDFs). Using the Mississippi State Asylum skeletal collection, dry bone measurements of CDFs were compared to those on photogrammetric models. Additionally, three volunteers of various skill levels attempted to identify these fractures using the digital models. Results showed that despite accuracy in recording maximum length and width measurements, maximum depth could be accurately and efficiently recorded. Volunteers were also incapable of accurately identifying the fractures. Therefore, photogrammetry should not be used for the initial recording of CDFs when dry bone recording is possible. However, photogrammetric modeling should still be used to assist in research when dry bone remains are not available.