Handbook of Missing Persons by Stephen J. Morewitz & Caroline Sturdy Colls

Author:Stephen J. Morewitz & Caroline Sturdy Colls
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Cham

18.2.2 Notes, Photography, and Mapping

An important component of any forensic archaeological investigation is consideration of the methods employed to document the scene. The archaeological recovery of human remains, whether they are found on the surface or buried, is inherently a destructive process that cannot be undone; once a scene is processed, it is forever altered from its original state. Thus, it is key that all stages of the recovery effort are carefully documented. Likewise, it is important to thoroughly document search processes so that a complete and accurate record of any discoveries, as well as any areas that can be eliminated after being searched, is created.

Three commonly used methods for scene documentation include note-taking, photography, and mapping. Before any search begins, investigators need to establish a plan of action for who will be responsible for documentation and how it will be handled throughout the search and recovery effort. Note-taking is used to document scene characteristics, personnel present on scene, a time-log of the activities, the methods employed, and a catalog of evidence discovered during the process. Photography is used to document the overall scene, the search and excavation process, and any human remains or evidentiary items found during the search. Increasingly, 360° photography or videography is being used to capture more detailed scene images, and these are particularly valuable for the Electronic Presentation of Evidence (EPE) in court. Scene measurements and mapping allow investigators to associate physical landmarks near the scene to the recovered human remains and evidence. While measurements using meter tapes represent the most traditional method for scene mapping, the application of digital surveying equipment has allowed forensic archaeologists to increase the accuracy of scene measurements. These tools include total stations, handheld/differential kinematic GPS units, and other remote sensing equipment such as terrestrial and airborne LiDAR. Combined with applications such as GIS (geographic information systems ) that allow the data to be associated with topographic and aerial maps, the result is an accurate visual representation of the scene. Figure 18.2 shows an example of a surface scatter of human remains from a riverine environment. The spatial location of each skeletal element was recorded using a handheld GPS unit (accuracy within 10 cm), and all data were plotted on a topographic map using GIS.

Fig. 18.2Topographic map showing GIS data of the location of individual human bones recovered (red dots) from a seasonal creek in Yolo County, California (accurate to 10 cm). The bones in this case were transported through fluvial activity. (Map created by Kevin Dalton)

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