Forensic Anthropology Issues: A Synergy Between Physical and Molecular Methods

The essential purpose of the forensic anthropological discipline is the identification of human remains when nearly or completely skeletonized remains are found and a standard soft tissue autopsy can no longer be performed. Identification of human skeletal remains is defined as the act of establishing an identity that permits an individual to be definable and recognizable. In archaeological and forensic contexts, identification involves the possibility to attribute a correct name to human remains. Different circumstances, such as those involve an unexplained natural death, homicide, accident or political, ethnic or religious violence, or mass disaster events, can require to establish the identity of a deceased individual. In all these situations, the joint use of physical and molecular methods can be effective in allowing the identification activity. The present chapter will introduce the forensic anthropological activity as a fundamental tool in identification contexts of human skeletal remains and will present how a DNA analysis expert of highly degraded samples may be an important ally of physical anthropologist in challenging situations.