Our next temporary exhibition opens January 19 on Forensic Anthropology, sponsored by First Tennessee Foundation and the Lucille S. Thompson Family Foundation. Drs. Murray Marks, Lee Meadows Jantz, and Richard Jantz of the UT Department of Anthropology’s Forensic Program have provided the Museum with the necessary specimens, research data, and images to provide a primer on the subject.
UT’s program in Forensic Anthropology, begun by Dr. William Bass, is widely known across the United States and the world. Equally well known is the Anthropological Research Facility, a unique place developed by Bass, where scientists study processes of decomposition. This research has proven invaluable in solving both cases of crime and accidental death.
The exhibit shows how forensic anthropologists determine basic biological information such as sex, ancestry, age at death, and stature from skeletal remains. It presents examples of trauma and pathology, and discusses identification of individuals through skeletal information, dental evidence, and facial reconstruction.
Because of the nature of the subject, and graphic images of remains, the gallery includes a warning for parents and others who may be disturbed by the images.
Forensic Anthropology will be on view to the public from January 20 through May 7.
