Forensic Investigation of Two Christian and Muslim Mass Graves Skeletal Remains in Sorya-Duhok governorate- Iraqi Kurdistan

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasin Amin ◽  
◽  
Goran Othman
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Remains ◽  
Forensic Investigation ◽  
Mass Graves ◽  
Iraqi Kurdistan

scholarly journals Forensic investigation of Barzanian mass grave skeletal remains at Busaya desert in Samawa, Iraq

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 230-324
Author(s):  
Yasin Amin
Keyword(s):  
Age Estimation ◽  
Skeletal Remains ◽  
Forensic Investigation ◽  
Mass Grave ◽  
Mass Graves ◽  
Victim Identification ◽  
Gender Determination ◽  
Standard Procedures ◽  
Scientific Standard ◽  
Scientific Documentation

Background and objective: Human identification and anthropological evaluation of mass graves are the key step towards scientific documentation and achieving justice. This study aimed to investigate the exhumation, anthropological evaluation, and individual victim identification of a mass grave in Busaya in Samawa governorate. Methods: The investigation included excavation of the graves and identification of the victims. The field study was started after taking testimonies and witnesses for locating the site of graves. The sites were determined, which were excavated according to the scientific standard procedures. Gender determination and age and stature estimation were performed on the remnant skeletons in the laboratory of the medico-legal institute in Erbil. Results: The grave included 93 bodies, 66 (71%) were males, 24 (26%) were possibly males, while the others were not identified because of degradations of the bones. The results of age estimation reported that the number of young bodies under 20 years old were five cases (5.4%), while 53 cases (57%) were young bodies between 20-29 years. The rest were more than 30 years old, except for eight cases that could not be identified. The results of stature revealed that more than half of cases had stature more than 166 cm, while only six cases were less than 155 cm. All the remained bones were recorded in detail for more documentation. Conclusion: These findings described the anthropological evaluation of a large Barzanian mass graves in Busaya desert in the south region in Iraq. The majority (or all) of the victims were males and young people. Keywords: Mass grave; Barzanian victims; Busaya; Exhumation; Identification.

Ned Kelly

2014 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Forensic Investigation ◽  
Handwriting Analysis ◽  
Scientific Process ◽  
Mass Graves ◽  
Community History ◽  
Exact Location ◽  
Historical Images ◽  
Collaborative Community ◽  
Metallurgical Analysis ◽  
Medical Analysis

Ned Kelly was hanged at the Old Melbourne Gaol on 11 November 1880, and his body buried in the graveyard there. Many stories emerged about his skull being separated and used as a paperweight or trophy, and it was finally put on display at the museum of the Old Melbourne Gaol — until it was stolen in 1978. It wasn’t only Ned Kelly’s skull that went missing. After the closure of the Old Melbourne Gaol in 1929, the remains of deceased prisoners were exhumed and reinterred in mass graves at Pentridge Prison. The exact location of these graves was unknown until 2002, when the bones of prisoners were uncovered at the Pentridge site during redevelopment. This triggered a larger excavation that in 2009 uncovered many more coffins, and led to the return of the skull and a long scientific process to try to identify and reunite Ned Kelly’s remains. But how do you go about analysing and accurately identifying a skeleton and skull that are more than 130 years old? Ned Kelly: Under the Microscope details what was involved in the 20-month scientific process of identifying the remains of Ned Kelly, with chapters on anthropology, odontology, DNA studies, metallurgical analysis of the gang's armour, and archaeological digs at Pentridge Prison and Glenrowan. It also includes medical analysis of Ned's wounds and a chapter on handwriting analysis — that all lead to the final challenging conclusions. Illustrated throughout with photographs taken during the forensic investigation, as well as historical images, the book is supplemented with breakout boxes of detailed but little-known facts about Ned Kelly and the gang to make this riveting story a widely appealing read. Winner of the Collaborative Community Award at the 2015 Victorian Community History Awards.

Forensic DNA Testing on Skeletal Remains from Mass Graves: A Pilot Project in Guatemala

1995 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 13786J ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Christian Boles ◽  
Clyde C. Snow ◽  
Eric Stover
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Project ◽  
Skeletal Remains ◽  
Dna Testing ◽  
Forensic Dna ◽  
Mass Graves ◽  
Forensic Dna Testing

scholarly journals Sex determination of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian population based on odontometric characteristics of permanent lower canines

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-169
Author(s):  
Belma Muhamedagić ◽  
Nermin Sarajlić
Keyword(s):  
Sex Determination ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Skeletal Remains ◽  
Mass Graves ◽  
Lower Jaw ◽  
Healthy State ◽  
Mandibular Canine ◽  
The Right

Introduction: Sex determination is one of fi rst and most important steps in identifying disintegrated bodies and skeletal remains. During the exhumation of bodies from the mass graves and archaeologicalexcavations, it is quite often the case that not all bones of one person are found, therefore, teeth and the scull are the only true identifi cation material. Canines are teeth most appropriate for sex determination.The aim of the research was to determine sex identity of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian population based on odontometric characteristics of permanent lower canines.Methods: The research sample included 180 patients of the Dental Offi ce, of both sexes. All patients with permanent lower right and left canines, without caries, with healthy state of gingiva and periodontium,without crown restorations were included in the research. Measurement was done directly in the patients' mouth using a digital sliding caliper. Greatest mesiodistal width of the lower right and left canine and intercuspal distance of the lower jaw were measured.Results: All parameters were higher in case of male, including Mandibular Canine Index (MCI) (p<0.01). The precision of appraising the sex identity for the Bosnian-Herzegovinian population, based on MCI on the right, amounts 68.89% and 68.54% on the left.Conclusions: The study showed that right canines are signifi cantly broader than the left ones and they are broader in case of males. Lower right canines, that is, MCI on the right, indicates greater accuracy insex determination in relation to left lower canines. The accuracy in sex determination for all variables is higher for the female.

Identification process of skeletal remains from mass graves: Our experience and proposal guidelines

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davorka Sutlovic ◽  
Igor Boric ◽  
Tamara Zulim ◽  
Ana Vucinovic
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Remains ◽  
Mass Graves ◽  
Identification Process

scholarly journals Premortal data in the process of skeletal remains identification

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 475-480
Author(s):  
Nadica Marinkovic ◽  
Marija Djuric
Keyword(s):  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Skeletal Remains ◽  
Mass Grave ◽  
Mass Graves ◽  
Identification Process ◽  
Basic Task ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Moment ◽  
The Right ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Background/Aim. The basic task of a forensic examiner during the exhumation of mass graves or in mass accidents is to establish identity of a person. The results obtained through these procedures depend on the level of perceptibility of post mortal changes and they are compared with premortal data obtained from family members of those missing or killed. Experience with exhumations has shown significant differences between the results obtained through exhumation and the premortal data. The aim of the study was to suggest the existance of the difference between premortal data and the results obtained by exhumation regarding the some parameters, as well as to direct premortal data colection to the specific skeletal forms. Methods. We performed comparative analysis of the results of exhumation of skeletal remains in a mass grave and the premortal data concerning the identified persons. The least number of individuals in this mass grave was calculated according to the upper parts of the right femur and it helped in calculating the smallest number of individuals in mass graves to be 48. A total of 27 persons were identified. Sex was determined by metrics and morphology of the pelvis. Personal age in the moment of death was determined by morphology features of groin symphisis and morphology of sternal edge of ribs and other parts of scelets observations. The hight was calculated as average results of length of long bones and Rollet coefficients. Results. There was a complete match in terms of sex and age matched within an interval that could be established based on the skeletal remains. All the other parameters were different, however, which made identification significantly more difficult. Conclusion. The premortal data is an important element of identification process and it should be obtained by the forensic doctor and directed towards more detailed examination of the skeletal system.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document