Forensic Archaeology
Excavation science, geophysical survey and systematic recording, applied to locating and recovering buried remains and evidence.
- 54hours
- 32topics
- 9modules
Foundations and Discipline Overview
The history, scope, and legal standing of forensic archaeology as a distinct discipline. Covers its relationship to crime scene management, forensic anthropology, and the evidentiary standards it must satisfy.
Start module- History and Scope of Forensic ArchaeologyForensic archaeology applies excavation science to legal investigations, from WWI grave recovery to today's mass-casualty and tribunal casework.14 min
- Legal Framework and Scene AuthorityMaps the overlapping police, coroner, and international legal frameworks that decide who controls a burial site and how evidence can be used.15 min
- Ethics and Human-Rights ObligationsExamines the ethical obligations forensic archaeology owes to living families, from ICRC guidelines on the missing to cultural respect.15 min
- Methods Used in Forensic ArchaeologyAn overview of the four method families forensic archaeologists use to locate, detect, recover, and record buried or concealed evidence.9 min
Search Strategy and Remote Sensing
Systematic methods for locating buried or concealed remains before any ground disturbance. Covers desk-based assessment, aerial and satellite analysis, LiDAR, and structured field-search protocols.
Start module- Search Strategy and PlanningHow forensic search teams build a structured plan before excavation, from desk-based intelligence gathering to probability mapping.13 min
- Aerial and Satellite Remote SensingHow aerial photographs, satellite imagery, UAV surveys, and multispectral analysis detect disturbed ground and grave signatures.12 min
- LiDAR and Topographic SurveyHow LiDAR generates bare-earth terrain models that reveal grave signatures invisible to optical sensors, complemented by photogrammetry.10 min
- Canine Search and ProbingHow Human Remains Detection dogs locate buried deposits through olfaction, and how systematic probing integrates with canine and geophysical work.12 min
Geophysical Detection Methods
Non-invasive subsurface sensing techniques applied to clandestine burial search. Each method's physical principles, operational protocols, output interpretation, and known limitations in forensic contexts.
Start module- Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR)Ground-penetrating radar reads subsurface electromagnetic reflections, making it one of the most reliable tools for locating clandestine graves.15 min
- Magnetometry and Earth ResistanceFluxgate gradiometry and earth-resistance surveys detect subsurface graves via magnetic and electrical contrasts, complementing GPR.13 min
- Geophysical Data Processing and InterpretationHow GPR, magnetometry, and resistivity data are processed to remove noise, and the false-positive sources that survive that processing.14 min
Excavation Methods and Single-Context Recording
Field excavation techniques adapted from archaeological practice for legal contexts. Focuses on the single-context recording system, stratigraphic principles, and the evidential requirements that distinguish forensic from research excavation.
Start module- Stratigraphic Principles and Harris MatrixStratigraphy reads the earth's layers like a timeline, and the Harris Matrix diagrams those relationships to defend a sequence in court.15 min
- Single-Context Recording SystemThe single-context recording system, where each cut, fill, layer, or skeleton gets its own numbered sheet for independent court review.12 min
- Clandestine Grave ExcavationExcavating a clandestine grave balances evidence recovery against documentation requirements, and the chosen method shapes what survives.13 min
- Surface Scatter and Scene-of-RecoveryGrid-based collection and directional scatter analysis let investigators distinguish primary deposition from secondary dispersal at surface scenes.12 min
Mapping, Recording, and Spatial Documentation
Instruments and workflows for creating an accurate, reproducible spatial record of a forensic scene. Covers total-station survey, photogrammetry, and the integration of spatial data into site reports.
Start module- Total-Station and GPS SurveyHow total stations and RTK-GPS generate the precise, court-ready spatial record that underpins every subsequent site interpretation.15 min
- Close-Range Photogrammetry and 3D RecordingStructure-from-Motion photogrammetry turns photographs into 3D point clouds, and the capture-to-processing workflow decides court admissibility.14 min
- Site Photography and IllustrationForensic site photography's technical standards, scale bar, north arrow, RAW capture, and the hand-drawn plans that photographs alone cannot replace.15 min
Taphonomy of Burial
How biological, chemical, and physical processes alter remains and associated evidence after burial. Understanding taphonomy is essential for interpreting what is found and for estimating the burial interval.
Start module- Burial Taphonomy: Processes and StagesHow a buried body breaks down from fresh remains to bare bone, and how oxygen, temperature, soil chemistry, and moisture control the pace of every stage.13 min
- Peri-mortem vs. Post-mortem AlterationHow forensic archaeologists distinguish peri-mortem damage from the alterations soil, roots, and scavengers impose after burial.12 min
- Burial Interval EstimationEstimating burial interval from accumulated degree days for soft-tissue loss to botanical indicators and artefact accumulation.12 min
Mass Graves and Human-Rights Recovery
Protocols and practices developed for the systematic recovery of victims from conflict, atrocity, or disaster events. Focuses on international body mandates, ante-mortem data systems, and the chain from field to identification.
Start module- Mass Grave Typology and FormationHow mass graves form, how they are classified by disturbance history, and the signatures that distinguish primary from secondary burials.13 min
- ICMP, EAAF, and ICTY Recovery ProtocolsICMP, EAAF, and ICTY, the three organisations that professionalised mass grave recovery and its evidentiary standards for tribunals.14 min
- Ante-mortem Data Collection and Victim IdentificationHow ante-mortem records are matched to post-mortem findings, and how DNA profiling at scale resolved the Srebrenica identification challenge.14 min
- Working in Conflict and Politically Sensitive ContextsThe operational, legal, and ethical challenges of forensic fieldwork in active or post-conflict zones, where security threats reshape protocol.14 min
Disaster, Fire, and Conflict Scene Archaeology
Specialist applications of forensic archaeological method to mass-casualty disaster scenes, fire-damaged contexts, and historic battlefield recovery.
Start module- Disaster Victim Identification: Archaeological ContributionHow forensic archaeologists contribute to Disaster Victim Identification, from scene zoning to integration with pathology and odontology teams.14 min
- Fire-Scene ArchaeologyHow forensic archaeologists apply stratigraphic recording and systematic sieving to fire scenes, including calcined bone interpretation.13 min
- Battlefield and Conflict ArchaeologyRecovering combatant and civilian remains from conflict sites via metal-detector survey and ordnance safety, as in the Fromelles 2008-2010 operation.16 min
Post-Excavation, Dating, and Court Presentation
The work that follows field recovery: specialist sample processing, absolute dating, report writing, and the presentation of archaeological evidence in legal proceedings.
Start module- Radiocarbon and Other Dating MethodsAMS radiocarbon, the bomb-pulse curve, dendrochronology, and luminescence dating, and what their precision ranges mean in court.17 min
- Finds and Artefact ProcessingHow clothing, personal effects, and micro-remains yield identity and timing evidence, via shoe-sole dating, soil micromorphology, and pollen.15 min
- Report Writing and Evidential StandardsHow forensic archaeology reports satisfy court and tribunal evidential standards, separating factual from interpretive sections and disclosing uncertainty.16 min
- Expert Witness Testimony and Quality AssuranceExpert witness obligations for forensic archaeologists under CPR Part 35 and FRE 702, plus FSR/IAFS accreditation and casework peer review.14 min