Date of Defense

4-17-2020

Date of Graduation

4-2020

Department

Anthropology

First Advisor

Michelle Hrivnyak

Second Advisor

Jacqueline Eng

Abstract

Bone cutmark analysis is a practice that has been performed by forensic researchers and medical examiners around the world. The traditional method of gathering information for this type of analysis is to draw a detailed picture or take a photo of the bone which can be analyzed for pattern, coloration and orientation of each individual lesion and then the mark itself is measured with non-digital Vernier (hand) calipers or a ruler. In recent years, forensic anthropologists have been using DSLR cameras and digital calipers to record these findings as well as detailed field notes to determine the condition and tool which may have been used on the bone. In this study, the Dino Lite Premier microscope was used to test its precision, accuracy, and applicability in this type of analysis. The Dino Lite microscope is a handheld microscope which can be connected to one’s laptop and transported into the field with the capacity to magnify 200x. This experiment takes the original method of non-digital hand calipers and photography and compares it to the use of digital calipers as well as the Dino Lite digital microscope. There are seven bone types examined including a control bone, two burnt bones, two weathered bones, and two frozen bones, four separate cutmark types made by four different implements are compared . Upon measuring, the results were input into a table and the averages and degrees of variance were calculated in order to assess precision and accuracy. This Dino Lite Premier microscope proved to be both precise and accurate and therefore applicable to the process of bone cutmark analysis in the field. A DSLR camera and observational notes should also be take in the field as well in order to construct a detailed, in-situ, recollection of the bones in the lab.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

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