ABSTRACT
An understanding of human osteology and odontology is important for two reasons. First, bones and teeth contain many indicators of the basic demographic characteristics of persons. As mentioned in Chapter 1, the sex of individuals can be attributed from traits visible on the skull; in addition, as will be seen in Chapter 8, the pelvis and long bones also can be used for this purpose. Similarly, the skeleton contains features that can be used to evaluate ancestry and age at death, as well as the living height of a person. The second reason for studying human osteology and odontology is to gain an understanding of what is considered “normal” in the human skeleton and teeth. By knowing these standards, deviations can be identified that are useful for developing a positive identification and for providing information concerning the life and circumstances of death of individuals.
