Modern Forensics Reveal Gruesome Details Of King Richard III’s Death

ABSTRACT

Richard III was buried in haste in 1485 after he was killed in battle and the whereabouts of his remains were unknown for centuries. In 2012, a skeleton was excavated from the former site of the Church of the Greyfriars in Leicester, UK and a forensic imaging team from the University of Leicester used micro-CT imaging of Richard’s skull and skeleton to determine which wounds were fatal and to identify the types of medieval weapons used during the attack. The study “aimed to reconstruct Richard’s last moments through careful analysis of the trauma to the skeleton.”

READ MORE on using micro-CT to study the remains of Richard III, from The Lancet.

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The Suitability of 3D Data: 3D Digitisation of Human Remains

ABSTRACT

Virtual anthropology and archaeology are relatively young fields, and this article seeks to discuss ways to determine the reliability, accuracy, and practical applications for these new methodologies. Many techniques used have been integrated into archaeological studies from other disciplines, such as engineering and medical science. The article concludes that, “the ability of 3D digitisation methods to quickly collect high-quality data from anthropological and archaeological specimens has wide-reaching implications, from conservation and restoration, to public engagement, to the production of replicas and increased accessibility of digital data.”

READ MORE on using 3D data to study human remains, from Archaeologies.
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Which Bone to Pick: Creation, Curation, and Dissemination of Online 3D Digital Bioarchaeological Data

ABSTRACT

Digitizing human remains makes artifacts more broadly available for study and education, but it also raises new ethical issues. This study looks at how digital datasets of human remains are created, stored, and shared online, and discusses standards for the sharing of such digital resources. Paleoanthropology was one of the first disciplines to use 3D imaging outside of medical practice, creating a sub-discipline of ‘virtual anthropology” in the 1980s. As micro-CT scanners are more available, these ethical issues are increased. The article states that, “…it is clear that the intended use community and the purpose of the resource will drive both the curatorial aspects of data management … and the dissemination policy that determines who accesses what data.”

READ MORE about dissemination of digitized human remains, from Archaeologies.