Indra, Lara Isabelle; Giles, Stephanie; Alfsdotter, Clara; Errickson, David; Lösch, Sandra (25 November 2023). Evaluation of porcine decomposition as a foundation for forensic practice in Switzerland (Unpublished). In: Jahresversammlung der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Anthropologie (SGA). 25.11.2023.
The total body score (TBS) is a visual scoring method to rate decomposition stages. It compares decomposition between carcasses, to connect it with external taphonomic factors and estimate the PMI. To study decomposition prospectively in various climatic environments, pigs are often used as human proxies. Currently, there is one rarely evaluated system to score decomposition of surface-deposited domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus), originating from South Africa. Our study aims to evaluate this method and analyse porcine decomposition in Switzerland to inform human casework.
We studied six pig carcasses in a temperate Swiss forest during summer and fall. Three observers documented decomposition patterns and rated the decomposition stages from photographs based on the porcine TBS model from South Africa.
We identified discrepancies between carcass decomposition of our specimens and those in the South African study, especially related to the high insect activity in our experiment. Furthermore, we noted factors complicating TBS scoring, including rainfall and animal scavengers. The agreement between TBS observers from photographs was almost perfect.
Our study is the first in Europe to test the South African porcine TBS system. The results evidence that regional amendments to the TBS method are required and we present a modified approach based on observations in a Swiss temperate forest. The identification of regional decomposition drivers will inform future taphonomy research as well as forensic casework in Switzerland and similar environments.
Item Type: |
Conference or Workshop Item (Speech) |
|---|---|
Division/Institute: |
04 Faculty of Medicine > Service Sector > Institute of Legal Medicine > Anthropology 04 Faculty of Medicine > Service Sector > Institute of Legal Medicine |
UniBE Contributor: |
Indra, Lara Isabelle, Lösch, Sandra |
Subjects: |
600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health 300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Lara Isabelle Indra |
Date Deposited: |
29 Nov 2023 10:55 |
Last Modified: |
29 Nov 2023 10:55 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Forensic anthropology Decomposition Forensic taphonomy |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/189494 |
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