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How to Approach Perimortem Injury and Other Modifications

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Forensic Microscopy for Skeletal Tissues

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 915))

Abstract

Perimortem damage recorded on bone indicates the immediate processes affecting animals or humans at or near the time of death. In many cases the agents producing the modifications may be identified based on modern comparative studies. Perimortem alterations or injuries may occur as a result of human action, the subject of forensic studies, and it is clearly important to distinguish these from other taphonomic processes and agents. We describe those modifications occurring at the time of death, including linear marks, pits and perforations, rounding of ends of bones, cracking of bone tissues, digestion, discoloration and staining, breakage and fragmentation, and disarticulation, with added notes about later occurring modifications that mimic the perimortem modifications.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paleontology, Natural History Museum, London, UK

    Peter Andrews

  2. Department of Paleobiologia, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain

    Yolanda Fernández-Jalvo

Authors
  1. Peter Andrews
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  2. Yolanda Fernández-Jalvo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Andrews .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, University Drive 8888, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, British Columbia, Canada

    Lynne S. Bell

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Andrews, P., Fernández-Jalvo, Y. (2012). How to Approach Perimortem Injury and Other Modifications. In: Bell, L. (eds) Forensic Microscopy for Skeletal Tissues. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 915. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-977-8_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-977-8_12

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-976-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-977-8

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