Comparative Osteological Skills In The Practice Of Forensic Anthropology: An Example To Stress An Educational And Professional Point.

Abstract

This article presents a case of accidental retrieval of osteologica! remains by the po/ice jòr which the intervention of specialised diagnostic skills is required in arder to efficiently serve the justice system, leading to a correct identification of the examined species. In this instance two fused osteologica! elements were preliminarily considered by a coroner to be potentially belonging to the human species and could only be determined not to be so - belonging instead to a non-human animai species - by applying comparative osteologica! methodology. The discussed case also offers relevant insights into the taphonomic alterations caused by the environment in which the remains lay. Finally, a rational education and professional workflow is suggested to optimize diagnostic situations like the one in question.