Korean J Phys Anthropol.  2011 Mar;24(1):1-8.

Trauma Analysis of Cranial Fractures and Estimation of Its Related Weapon for Reference to Forensic Anthropological Decisions

• Goo HN
• Kim YH
• Choi SG
• Kim YS

Abstract

The role of forensic anthropology is to reconstruct the process of individual death by predicting the cause and manner of death as well as to find out biological profiles of unknown skeletal remains based on the data of physical anthropology. The purpose of this study is to suggest the data of decision-making process for cranial fractures and its related weapons of skeletal remains from the forensic fields. A hammer (31.7%) and baseball bat (16.7%) represented almost half of the blunt type of weapon used in the cranial fracture. The linear fracture was caused by most of weapons, the spider's web and depressed fracture by the hammer, and the comminuted fracture by the heavy tools such as maul, wrench, etc as well as the hammer. By the chi-square test, there were significant differences between fracture patterns and types of weapon that it was helpful to estimate the weapon of cranial fracture for forensic anthropological decisions. Conclusively, we could prepare the priority order of estimating cause and manner of death in the case of cranial fracture for the forensic context and suggest research design of physical anthropology about osteological biomechanics and taphonomy relating cranial fractures.

Keyword

Forensic anthropology; Cranium; Fracture; Trauma analysis; Weapon; Identification

MeSH Terms

Anthropology, Physical
Baseball
Biomechanics
Forensic Anthropology
Fractures, Comminuted
Research Design
Skull
Weapons