ABSTRACT
Genetic analysis has become a fundamental component of the identification of postmortem remains. With technical advances in biotechnology and an increase in our understanding of the human genome, applications of human molecular genetics have impacted the fields of archeology (Brown and Brown, 1994; Foley, 1998; Hagelberg et al., 1991), evolutionary biology (Krings et al., 1997; von Haesler, 1996; Handt et al., 1996), medical sciences (Bucket, 1998; Elles, 1997; Lupski, 1998; White, 1996), and, of most importance for this readership, the forensic sciences (for review, see Alford, 1994; Benecke, 1997; NRC, 1992; 1996; Raymond, 1989). The use of current genetic techniques can determine individual identity with minute amounts of biological material, allowing for unprecedented accuracy and versatility.
