RACE DETERMINATION AND TYPES

1. DETERMINATION OF RACE FROM
HUMAN REMAINS
SPEAKER: Dr A.HARICHARAN
MODERATOR: Prof. Th MEERA DEVI
Dept of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, RIMS, Imphal

2. Introduction
o FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
It is the branch of physical anthropology which for forensic
purposes deals with the identification and analysis of
skeletonised remains known to be or suspected of being
human
o FORENSIC TAPHONOMY
Interpretation of primary outdoor death scenes &
postmortem process.

3. IDENTIFICATION :
Identification is the determination of the
individuality of a person based on certain physical
characteristics i.e exact fixation of personality.
 Establishing identity of a person whether dead or alive is of
paramount importance.
This is because an individual exists as an entity in society, and is
dealt with as such by the legal system.
In partial or incomplete identification certain facts
are determined e.g. Race, age, sex, stature etc while
others characters are not known .

4. Reasons for establishing identity:
• Use of identity certificate in criminal or civil cases
eg.
•? Insurance benefits to next of kin
•? Identification of offenders
•? Age determination in criminal liability
•? Identification of bodies for burial purposes.
•? Interchange of newborn babies in hospital
•? Disputed sex.

5. IDENTIFICATION IS NECESSARY IN:
1)Living persons
2)Recent dead bodies
3)Decomposed bodies
4)Mutilated and burnt bodies
5)Skeleton
The police have to establish the identity of a person.
In some cases, the doctor may be able to supply the
police with certain facts about the individual, a dead
body or fragmentary remains, which help the police
to complete identification.

6. •Visual identification becomes difficult or impossible in
causes of fires, explosions, advanced decomposition,
mutilation,aircraft accidents,earth quakes, etc.
 Identification of dead victim often helps the police to
trace the victims movements to know his background ,
talk to his friends and find out his enemies.
If the victims identity is not known , it becomes difficult
for the police to solve the crime.
The identification of a dead body and proof of corpus
delicti is important before a sentence is passed in
murder trials as unclaimed decomposed bodies, or
portions of dead body, or bones are sometimes
produced to support false charges.

7. IDENTIFICATION DATA:
Race
Religion
Sex
Age
General development and stature
Complexion and features
External peculiarities such as moles, birth marks,
malformations, scars, tatoo marks,
wounds, occupation marks etc..
Anthropometric measurements.

8. Fingerprints and footprints
Teeth
Personal effects: clothes,pocket contents,jewellery ,etc
Handwriting
Speech and voice
Gait ,tricks of manner and habit
Memory and education
No single feature is reliable for identification , a combination
of features is taken.
Sex, age , and stature are primary characteristics of
Identification

9. RACE
•Race is more of social construct than a biological one,
but has widespread biological consequences related
to selective mating, genetic shift and institutional
racism( Brace 1995)
• According to Darwin, human species in course of
progressive adoption has branched into different
subspecies.
•Race is a subspecies of Homosapiens (humans).

10. HISTORY
• German anthropologist/naturalist Johann Friedrich Blumen back
( 1752- 1840), “father of physical Anthropology” classified human
species into five group.
a) Negroid or Black
b) Mongoloid or yellow
c) Caucasoid or white
d) American Indian or Red
e) Malayan or Brown
Major group
Minor group

11. Caucasian( indigeneous of Europe , North Africa, West Asia
and India). They are native inhabitants of the Caucasian
language family.
Mongolians-People who speak Mongolian language. They
are thought to total 6 million out of which 3.5 million are in
China. Remaining are in Russia, South Korea, and Japan.

12. Negroes- They are the black people of African origin,
Non-Jewish, Afro –semetic and semetic North .
Presently most scientists have rejected the concept of race,
rather they prefer the term “ethnic group or ethnicity”.

13. Identification of skeletal remains:
•Questions to be answered !!!
• Are the remains actually bone ?
• Are they human ?
• How many sets are there ?
• Are they mixed with bones of another
•person or animal?

14. • What is the orientation of bones?
left or right
• How old is the person ?
• What was the gender of the person ?
• What race was the person ?
• How tall was the person ?
• What was the condition of the teeth ?
• How long has the person been dead
and/or concealed ?
• What was the cause of death ?

15. RACE
IF soft parts are available , determination of race is
possible by careful examination in mutilated bodies,
fragmentary remains, and in mass disaster.
In absence of some data, if the remains contains
bones, it may be possible to determine the race from
examination of skull , mandible, teeth, and relative
measurement of limbs.

16. Race can be determined from
 Skin (living person)
 Eyes (living person)
 Hair
 Skeletal features
 Soft tissues
 Miscellaneous

17. SKIN
• Skin colour is determine by presence of amount of
melanocytes and melanin granules.
• Skin colour is affected by decomposition, burning etc
Caucasoids White / fair skinned
Mongoloids Yellow skinned
Negroids Black skinned

18. Eyes
• Caucasoids have blue eyes/ grey.
• Black in other races
• Brown eyes in case of mixed race( Indians)

19. HAIR
Caucasoids
1. Light colour( light brown or reddish) or golden hair
2. Curly and wavy
3. On cross section oval in shape with uniform distribution of
fine pigment.

20. Mongoloids
1. Dark and coarse hair
2. Usually circular on cross section with dense uniform
pigmentation and dark medulla.
Negroids
1. Dark coloured, wooly and arrange in tight spiral
2. Elongated oval on cross section with dense pigment
and irregular distribution

23. Nose
•Nose index =
width of the nose
height of the nose
•Caucasoid have leptorrhine i.e. Nasal index <70
•Mongoloids are mesorrhine i.e. Nasal index 70-80
•Negroids are platyrrhine i.e. Nasal index >85
x 100

27. SKELETAL
S.No Traits Caucasoid Mongoloids Negroids
1. Skull Rounded Square Narrow and
elongated
2. Prognathism {protrusion of
alveolar region of the
mandible and maxilla}
Least common,
least pronounced
Midway between
caucasoids and
negroids
Common,
pronounced
3. Forehead Raised Inclined small and
compressed
4. Face small
proportionately,
malar bone
prominent
Large and
flattened teeth
set obliquely
Malar bones and
jaw projecting
5. Orbits (fig 1) Triangular Rounded Rectangular
6. Nasal aperture ( fig 1) Narrow and
elongated
Rounded Expanded ,broad

28. Figure 1

29. 7. Upper and lower limb Normal in
proportion
to body
Smaller Longer
8. Palate (fig 2) Triangular
(hyperbolic)
Rounded or
horse shoe
shaped
(elliptical)
Rectangular
( parabolic)

30. Figure 2

31. TEETH
Characteristic Mongoloid Negroid caucasoid
Shovel shaped
teeth ( Fig 3)
common Uncommon Uncommon
carabelli’s cusp in
first molar( Fig 4)
Uncommon Uncommon Quite common
Mandibular 3rd
molar
Commonly
missing
Rarely missing Can be missing
Mandibular 2nd
molar with 5 cusp
Common Common Uncommon
Supernumeray
teeth
common

32. Fig 3. SHOVEL TEETH

33. Fig 4. CUSP OF CARABELLI
•A small additional cusp at the mesiopalatal angle of
maxillary first molar

34. Eruption and Mineralisation of Third Molar
• African (Negroid) have the fastest/earliest development
• Mongoloids the slowest development
• Caucasoid occupying the middle position
• This is due to smallest palatal dimension among mongoloid
which provide inadequate space, causing delay and some
time even retention of third molar.

35. SKULL
• Cephalic index(CI) is also known as index of breadth
Maximum breadth of skull
C.I = x 100
Maximum length of the skull
• Cephalic index as criterion of race was introduce in 1842
by Andres Retzius

36. • Measurements
1. Maximum length of skull = summit of glabella to furthest
occipital point.
2. Maximum breadth of the skull= greatest breadth measure
between two parietal eminences.
Measured by sliding caliper (2). If not available osteometric
board (1) can be used
This Photo by Unknown Author
is licensed under CC BY-SA
1
2

37. Racial Difference in Cephalic Index
Type of skull Cephalic index Race
1. Dolico – cephalic
(long headed)
70-75 Pure Aryan,
Aborigines and
Negroes
2. Mesati- cephalic
( medium- headed)
75- 80 European and
Indians
3. Brachy- cephalic
( short – headed)
80-85 Mongoloids

38. A.DOLICOCEPHALIC
B. MESATICEPHALIC
C. BRACHYCEPHALIC

39. LONG BONES
length of radius
1. Brachial index = x 100
length of humerus
 Europeans =74.5
 Negroes=78.5
length of tibia
2. Crural index = x 100
length of femur
 Europeans = 69
 Negroes=86.2

40. length of ( humerus + radius)
3. Intermembral index = x 100
length of (femur + tibia)
 Europeans = 70 - 70.4
 Negroes= 70 -70.5
length of humerus
4. Humerofemoral index = x 100
length of femur
 Europeans = 69
 Negroes =72.4

41. METHODS USED IN ASSESSMENT OF
ANCESTRY FROM CRANIAL REMAINS
• Morphological Characteristics
Arthroposcopic :
difference in shape such
as those seen in the orbit
Non- metric : Also
called discrete traits are
minor dental and
skeletal variants, which
are often anomalies
that tend to cluster in
specific population

42. Non-Metric Traits Used by Hefner (2009) and L’Abbé et al.
(2011
Trait Race Description of Trait
Categories
1.Nasal bone contour African
Asian
European
European
European
1. Low and rounded (Quonset
hut)
2. Oval contour with
elongation superior-inferiorly,
projecting anteriorly from
mid-face
3. Tented, steep lateral walls,
flat superior plateau
4. Semi-triangular (vaulted),
steep-sided lateral walls and
narrow superior surface
plateau
5. Steepled, triangular cross-
section, lacking superior
surface plateau

43. IMAGE OF NASAL CONTOUR

44. Trait Race Description of Trait
Categories
2. Nasal aperture width European
Asian
African
1. Narrow (long)
2. Medium (rounded)
3. Wide

45. Traits Race Description of Trait
Categories
3.Anterior nasal spine African
Asian
European
1. Short (rounded), no
projection from the nasal
ridge
2. Medium (projects to the
level of prosthion viewed from
the side, but does not reach it)
3. Long (sharp), terminates
beyond prosthion. Usually has
a sharp anterior point

46. Trait Race Description of Trait
Categories
4.Inferior nasal margin African
African
Asian
European
European
1. Guttered (gradual
sloping of nasal floor from
posterior to anterior)
2. Incipient guttering
(sloping commences more
anteriorly, but is less than
in 1)
3. Straight (immediate
transition from nasal floor
to vertical maxilla)
4. Partial sill (weak but
present ridge of vertical
bone)
5. Sill (pronounced ridge,
no smooth transition from
nasal floor to maxilla)

47. IMAGES OF INFERIOR NASAL MARGIN

48. Trait Race Description of Trait
Categories
5. Nasal overgrowth European /African
Asian
0. Absent (border of nasal
bones does not project
beyond the maxilla)
1. Present (border of nasal
bones projects beyond the
maxilla)

49. Trait Race Description of Trait
Categories
6. Zygomatic projection* European /African
Asian
1. Retreating (zygomae
more backwards relative to
opening of nasal aperture in
vertical plane)
2. Projecting (zygomae on
same vertical plane as
opening of nasal aperture)

50. Trait Race Description of Trait
Categories
7. Malar tubercle African
Asian
European
European
0. Absent
1. Incipient (very small
tubercle, < 2mm)
2. Trace
(medium protrusion 2-4 mm)
3. Present (pronounced
tubercle on inferior margin
of zygoma and maxilla)

51. Trait Race Description of Trait
Categories
8. Interorbital breadth European
Asian
African
1. Narrow relative to face
width
2. Intermediate
3. Wide relative to face width

52. Trait Race Description of Trait
Categories
9. Zygomaxillary suture African
Asian
European
1. Smooth (lateral projection
at inferior end)
2. Angled (greatest lateral
projection near the midline)
3. S-shaped (zig-zag)

53. Trait Race Description of Trait
Categories
10.Alveolar prognathism Eur/Asian
African
1. Orthognathic (flat mid-
facial profile)
2. Prognathic (projecting
mid-facial profile)

54. MISCELLANEOUS
Napoli and Birky ( 1990) studied external ear canal and found that
its shapes differ in population such that:
Oval window in ear canal was visible in Caucasoid.
 But not in Mongoloids or Native American

55. SOFT TISSUES
1.Gums : Often brown and mottled in Negroids.
2. Brain: In Negroids there is dark grey deposit of melanin in the
arachnoid membrane around the medulla oblongata and in the
area of olfactory nerves at the base of frontal lobes.

56. 3. Retina : Shows dark deposit of melanin in most non-
white race.

57. DNA finger printing:
 Unique sequences of bases in DNA strands are
used to compare one blood or tissue sample
with another, to investigate genetic
relationship.
 Blood , hair , saliva and semen can be
used for this purpose.

58. The technique may be used in the following cases:
To identify a person in cases where conventional
means of identification are not possible .eg charred
body

59. Identification of a charred body.
• Is difficult exercise and the following signs/tests
• may be used to determine identity.
• Radiology- x rays of the body can be used to exclude
missile injury, identifying prostheses, parts of a
weapon and dental work.
• Teeth- antemortem records of dental work compared
with postmortem remains.
Is a good indicator of age and overall idea of race.

60. • Characteristic features of individual (stigmata)-
congenital anomalies, scars, absent organs and
prosthesis.
• Clothing- fragments of clothing may be found in
hidden areas of armpits and groin.
• Finger prints- can be extracted from a charred
body.

61. Facial Reconstruction.
1. Obtain skull
2. Add tissue depth markers
• Based on largely on sex and race
3. Begin to add common fat deposits and
underlying muscles
• Determine demographic
information
(female, Caucasian, early 40s)
• Note unique features
(had lost all back teeth on upper
and lower jaw)
• Anything known about this
individual?
1
2
3

62. 4. Add muscle to average
depth for race
5. Add skin, nose, ears
6. Add features related to age and
race (wrinkles, eye and hair color)
7. Add clothing etc ..appropriate for the time
period, religious affiliations, etc
4
5
6
7

63. Super imposition technique.

65. CONCLUSION
So, from the history as well as our own experience, examination of
skeletal remains, is a very important aspect of investigations
a. Meticulous examination of remains may help solve some of the very
difficult cases, which may seem like a mystery to a layman.
b. Identification in case of
• Unknown and unclaimed body found in railway carriage, or lying in roads ,
recovered from well, river etc.
• In seaport towns where there is heterogeneous mixture of races and
communities.
• Skeletal remains

66. THANKYOU