Year of Award

2025

Document Type

Professional Paper

Degree Type

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Name

Anthropology (Forensic and Biological Anthropology)

Department or School/College

Department of Anthropology

Committee Chair

Dr. Randall Skelton

Committee Co-chair

Dr. Meradeth Snow

Commitee Members

Dr. Emily Sallee

Keywords

Biological Profile, Forensic Anthropology, Biological Anthropology

Subject Categories

Biological and Physical Anthropology

Abstract

This case report of an individual designated as University of Montana Forensic Case 132 (UMFC 132) serves to partially fulfill the requirements for the Master of Arts (MA) degree in Forensic and Biological Anthropology. UMFC 132 is a complete human skeleton, used as part of the teaching collection in the University of Montana Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. The minimum number of individuals (MNI) of UMFC 132 is 1. The analysis of UMFC 132 was conducted according to bioarchaeological and forensic anthropological standards of skeletal assessment. UMFC 132 was estimated to be a mid-adult, between the ages of [30-40 years] of age at the time of death. The individual’s biological markers of sex in the pelvis and cranium lacked any persuasive sexually dimorphic traits, leading to a sex estimation of undetermined or ambiguous. Bioaffinity estimation was consistent with an individual of probable Asian descent. This assessment was made with recognition of the variable and often inaccurate nature of ancestry estimation. The stature of the individual is estimated to be [159 to 169 cm] or [5’2” to 5’6”]. UMFC 132 reflected only minor evidence of taphonomic change, including limited cracking and breaking throughout the skeleton. UMFC 132 had pathological changes throughout the skeleton, including osteophyte formation throughout the axial and appendicular skeleton, ossification of cartilage on the manubrium, eburnation of the temporomandibular joint, bifurcation of the spinous process in the cervical vertebrae, and fusion of the right rib. These pathological changes may be reflective of degeneration due to age or normal human variation. The individual reflected no evidence of ante-, peri-, or postmortem trauma. Based on the lack of repeating elements and consistent taphonomic state, the MNI of this case is 1.

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© Copyright 2025 Allison Paige Mitchell