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Stable isotope methods for provenance of unidentified human remains are relatively a newer field of enquiry in forensic archeology. It is of great interest for forensic experts these days. The application of strontium isotope analyses for estimating geolocation of archeological remains is of great interest in bioarcheology and modern forensics. The strontium (Sr) isotope composition of human bones and teeth has been widely used to reconstruct an individual's geo-affiliation, residential mobility, and migration history. Thousands of unknown human remains, reportedly belonging to 282 Indian soldiers of 26th Native Bengal regiment and killed in 1857, were exhumed non-scientifically from an abandoned well situated underneath a religious structure at Ajnala (Amritsar, India). Whether these remains belonged to the individuals, local or non-local to the site, was the important forensic archeological question to be answered by doing their thorough forensic anthropological examinations. In the present study, 27 mandibular teeth (18 s molars, 6 first molars, and 3 premolars) collected from the Ajnala skeletal assemblage were processed for strontium isotope analysis, and the measured ratios were compared with published isotope baseline data to estimate the locality status of these remains. The Sr isotopic values were concentrated in the range of 0.7175 to 0.7270. The comparative analysis of isotopic ratios revealed that most individuals buried in the Ajnala well have 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values close to the river as well as groundwater of the Gangetic plain (less radiogenic 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ~ 0.716); most likely originated near Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh, India) region, whereas the individuals with higher 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios (~ 0.7200) probably resided in the West Bengal and Bihar areas where the river as well as groundwater of the Gangetic plain is relatively more radiogenic. Thus, the strontium isotope results reveal that the Ajnala individuals did not grow up or live in the Amritsar region during their childhood, and this observation complemented the previous forensic anthropological and molecular findings. There is very little Indian data on the bioavailable strontium, so the inferences from the present study estimating Sr isotope abundances are expected to provide baseline data for future forensic provenance studies that will contribute to the global efforts of mapping Sr isotope variations by the isotope community., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Ladakh lies at a strategic location between the Indus River valley and the Hindu Khush Mountains, which makes the "Land of high passes" one of the major routes of movement. Through the years the region has faced multi-layered cultural movements, genetic assimilation and demographic changes. The initial settlement in the years goes back to the early Neolithic age and still continues despite its harsh, unhospitable and cold climate. Previous studies mostly covered the patrilineal markers of the region and an in-depth study lacked to represent the matrilineal ancestry and possible genetic inflow in the region. Hence, our current study first time generated complete mitogenomes of 108 unrelated individuals from Ladakh belonging to three population groups namely, Changpa (n = 38), Brokpa (n = 32) and Monpa (n = 38). In the in-depth analysis, we found that the mitogenome of the three Ladakhi groups are highly diverse in terms of maternal haplogroup distribution carrying lineages specific to East Asia (M9a), Tibbet (A21) and South Asia (M3, M30, U2). In our analysis we found that Changpa and Monpa probably have shared maternal ancestry compared to Brokpa, which is very distinct and also later suffered possible historical Bottleneck. Bayesian evolutionary and Network analysis indicates more ancient maternal lineage of Changpa and Monpa in terms of M9a haplotypes, but they also share some genetic history with Tibeto-Burman speakers in past. These findings conclusively indicate possible matrilineal genetic inflow in Ladakh from three directions, primarily from East Asia or South East Asia during post-glacial, West Eurasia and also from South Asia., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.)

Forensic anthropologists are traditionally interested in facial approximations and reconstruction of physiognomies of individuals from past populations and creation of lifelike features onto unknown skulls retrieved from forensic or bioarchaeological contexts. Present review article examines the significance of facial soft-tissue thickness (FSTT) in craniofacial reconstruction by revisiting the studies published in the recent past decade (2010-21). The searches for published articles mentioning the FSTT and related topics over these years were performed using the following search engines: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus. A total of 325 research articles were identified using different keywords, out of which 84 studies were found relevant for systematic review presented in this article. The selected studies were further analyzed based on the adopted study design, radiographic modality used for estimating FSTT, and generated databases and their advantages and limitations. Out of 84 relevant articles, 30 articles presented databases for sex, age, and ethnicity-dependent variations in soft tissue thickness measurements. Finally, 17 studies reporting sexual dimorphic variations in FSTT values estimated in supine or upright postured individuals (aged 18-90 years and above) were considered for meta-analysis. This article gives a decisive outlook on research trends in FSTT estimations, its contributions in refining craniofacial reconstruction technology, and identifying where we lack and where we can improve., (Copyright © 2023 Forensic Science Review.)

Since 2006, Pattanam coastal village of the Ernakulam District in Kerala, India, has witnessed multi-disciplinary archaeological investigations in collaboration with leading research institutions across the world. The results confirm that the Pattanam site could be an integral part of the lost ancient port of Muziris, which, as per the material evidence from Pattanam and its contemporary sites, played an important role in the transoceanic exchanges between 100 BCE (Before Common Era) and 300 CE (Common Era). So far, the material evidence with direct provenance to the maritime exchanges related to ancient cultures of the Mediterranean, West Asian, Red Sea, African, and Asian regions have been identified at Pattanam. However, the genetic evidence supporting the impact of multiple cultures or their admixing is still missing for this important archaeological site of South India. Hence, in the current study, we tried to infer the genetic composition of the skeletal remains excavated from the site in a broader context of South Asian and worldwide maternal affinity. We applied the MassArray-based genotyping approach of mitochondrial makers and observed that ancient samples of Pattanam represent a mixed maternal ancestry pattern of both the West Eurasian ancestry and the South Asian ancestry. We observed a high frequency of West Eurasian haplogroups (T, JT, and HV) and South Asian-specific mitochondrial haplogroups (M2a, M3a, R5, and M6). The findings are consistent with the previously published and ongoing archaeological excavations, in which material remains from over three dozen of sites across the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and Mediterranean littoral regions have been unearthed. This study confirms that people belonging to multiple cultural and linguistic backgrounds have migrated, probably settled, and eventually died on the South-western coast of India.

The unique hard and resilient nature of human teeth makes them useful for various forensic odontological examinations. Structural alterations, cultural modifications, pathological variations, and restorative material make them excellent forensic indicators about biological identity of the unknown deceased or living individuals. Variations in the anatomical details of teeth may be imprinted by defective dental development, traumatic damages, pathologies, and nonmasticatory or weaponry use of teeth during an individual's lifetime. Such imprints can be used for comparisons and identification in forensic anthropology. Deliberate dental alterations/modifications and mutilations practiced due to cultural or esthetic purposes have been reported from some contemporary human population groups as well as from some ancient documented skeletal collections. Willful dental modifications have been most commonly done by filling, drilling, grooving, grinding, staining, and chipping. These dental features may be useful only for differentiation of varied anthropological populations, but their forensic utility cannot be ignored, particularly when antemortem dental records are available for comparisons. Various dental developmental anomalies and defects, restorations, pathological signatures, and occupational markers definitely corroborate other methods of forensic identifications, but cannot be used as sole criteria for individualization of unknown human remains retrieved in medicolegal scenarios. This review article attempts to glean information about various characteristic features of teeth and their forensic significance to aid identification of unknown human dental remains found in forensic contexts; its concluding emphasis focuses on the role of such dental individualities in identification strategies for human remains excavated from an abandoned ancient well situated underneath a religious structure at Ajnala (Amritsar), India. The unique dental features, extrinsic staining of anterior teeth, low frequency of dental pathologies, and notched incisors of those excavated remains were suggestive of them belonging to slain sepoy from an historic military regiment., (Copyright © 2022 Central Police University.)

Objectives: The metric and non-metric features of the fragmented, badly damaged and commingled human remains play a significant role in their identity establishment in forensic anthropology. The main objective of the present study was to assess the population specific attributes of the unknown human dental remains excavated from an abandoned well, found underneath a religious structure at Ajnala (Punjab, India). Written accounts mentioned that Ajnala skeletal remains belonged to 282 Indian origin soldiers of the British army who had revolted against the colonial rulers in 1857, who were killed after capture, and their bodies dumped in an abandoned well., Materials and Methods: Eleven non-metric dental traits were investigated in a sample of 1527 teeth (1200 dislodged teeth comprising of 300 canines, 300 premolars and 600 molars along with 93 jaw fragments having 327 teeth of different types) collected from this non-scientifically exhumed skeletal assemblage. These selected traits were examined with adequate magnification and lighting, using a flexible arm illuminated magnifier (Lensel Optics Pvt. Ltd., Pune, India), identified and scored in accordance with the descriptions provided in the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System (ASUDAS)., Results: Eight of the eleven features examined (Carabelli trait, Hypocone absence, Cusp 5, Cusp 6, Tomes root, mesial canine ridge, Y-groove pattern, and four-cusp mandibular second molar) exhibited frequencies that were distinctly higher or lower than the three major continental ancestries., Discussion: Some amateur historians doubted the authenticity of the written versions and argued that these remains might belong to the non-Indians. Present study results revealed that the studied dental trait frequencies were not similar to any major continental ancestry and were relatively unique in Ajnala teeth like previous Indian studies. While this in itself does not guarantee that these teeth belong to individuals of the Indian subcontinent, it endorses previous scientific analyses and supports the written accounts that the majority of Ajnala teeth were probably Indian in origin. However, the determination of ethnicity from dental morphological features remains debatable and can be used only as suggestive than diagnostic tool owing to possible bias in recording morphological features of teeth. Although determining the racial affinity from teeth is very difficult, caution must be exercised in concluding the racial identity of an individual from the teeth.

Heinous crimes and brutalities have decimated humanity throughout human history. In modern times, forensic anthropologists have helped to reconstruct the nature and mechanism, intent and purpose, manner, and circumstances of various inhumane instances of genocides and violent crimes. Anthropologists endeavor to bring closure and comfort to bereaved families by disseminating information about the location, exhumation, and identification of the remains of victims. The methodological armamentarium and scope of forensic anthropology have developed much beyond the realms of the traditional biological profiling casework to the scenarios of humanitarian concerns. Humanitarian forensics focuses on the excavation and identification of the remains of victims and facilitates the dignified burial of the deceased. This review article highlights and exemplifies the significant contributions of forensic anthropological expertise in revealing various crimes against humanity and human rights violations committed in the recent past as well as in some contemporary cases reported from around the globe. It includes cases such as Guatemalan, Cambodian, and Bosnian genocides, as well as other mass killings that illustrate the efficacy of anthropological evidence in reconstructing the nature, mechanism, and circumstances related to these incidences. Special emphasis is given to the Ajnala (India) skeletal remains excavated from an abandoned well - remains reportedly belonging to 282 Indian soldiers killed in 1857 whose corpses were dumped into the said disused well by sanitary workers - indicating the importance of forensic anthropology in authenticating the occurrence of events as mentioned in historical records. Analysis of different case histories reveals that forensic anthropologists have played a significant role in recovery and identification of the victims of the many war crimes, genocides, racial conflicts, and violent cruelties committed against mankind in modern history., (Copyright © 2021 Central Police University.)

Teeth store crucial information needed for medical, environmental, genomics, public health, and forensic anthropological research work. The prolonged forensic utility of teeth is ensured by their extended postmortem longevity as they can resist almost all sorts of chemical, biological, and physical degradations or destructions. The main aim of the present investigation was to utilize the discriminant functions and regression equations generated from the elemental profile of known teeth for estimating sex and age of unknown human skeletal remains excavated from an abandoned well at Ajnala (Amritsar, India). The written records mentioned that 282 Indian mutineer soldiers were killed in July 1857, their cadavers were dumped in the disused well, and then a religious structure was built over the periphery of the said well. These human remains, along with some contextual items, were excavated non-scientifically in April 2014. Preliminary results obtained from application of different forensic anthropological techniques like stable isotope, pulp-tooth area ratio, and mtDNA analyses have indicated that these remains belonged to adult males. In present study, the elemental concentrations of 100 mandibular molars of known age and sex were estimated from wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrophotometer (WD-XRF) analyzer. The statistical equations so generated from elemental concentrations of known teeth were applied to estimate the probable age and the sex of unknown mandibular teeth (N = 100) collected from Ajnala skeletal assemblage. The elements Pb and As were detected in ancient teeth only whereas the detection of elements like Ba, Se, and Te was limited to modern teeth samples only. When the statistical equations so generated were applied to elemental concentrations of Ajnala teeth, it was found that 96% teeth belonged to adult males and the remaining ones were classified to be that of females. Though sexual differences were observed in concentrations of majority of elements, statistically significant differences were found in elemental concentrations of very few teeth. Age estimates of unknown teeth were found in the age ranges of 19 to 48 years. Thus, the trace elemental analysis results supported the written records that the victims were adult males. The cross-validated application of elemental profiles of known teeth for establishing the identity of unknown teeth is the first forensic anthropological study reported from India. Though the obtained accuracy levels were not found within acceptable forensic threshold limits, the present study results may guide future researches involving human hard tissues. It may be concluded that trace elemental concentrations of teeth may be influenced by the factors like age and sex of an individual and thus cannot be used for accurate and reliable forensic sex or age estimations. Dental trace elemental composition can be used as a forensic tool only if used in conjunction with other morphological or molecular analysis of the unknown dental remains.

Background: Age estimation from dental developmental stages is considered comparatively more accurate, reliable and precise than other methods used in forensic sciences. Willems method is the revised version of Demirjian method, based on modified dental maturity scores to estimate age of children in years for both the sexes., Aims: To test the applicability and accuracy level of Willems method of dental age estimation in diverse population samples by quantifying the variations between the chronological and estimated ages of an individual., Methodology: A systematic search of online databases (Pubmed, Scopus, Embase, Medline, Trip and Web of Science) was performed for identifying the articles utilizing Willems dental maturity scaling method for age estimation in children. All the research articles published in peer-reviewed English language journals between 2001 and January 2017 were included for present systematic review and meta-analysis., Results: Out of the total 973 selected articles; thirty one studies were recruited for qualitative analysis and out of them, 15 studies were selected/identified for quantitative and meta-analysis. It was found that Willems method overestimates the age of children to a comparatively lesser extent (-0.04 and -0.02 years) than the Demirjian method (around six months)., Conclusion: Willems method of dental age estimation gives comparatively lesser overestimations of age than other methods reported in the available literature and is thus, accurate and reliable enough to be utilized for forensic purposes., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Background: Different dental features have contributed significantly toward sex determination in the forensic anthropological contexts. Population-specific standards (discriminant functions or regression formulae) have been suggested for various population groups to identify the sex of an unknown individual from dental dimensions and other odontometric features. The main purpose of the present investigation was to examine the degree of sexual dimorphism exhibited by the human teeth of North Indians and identify importance as a forensic tool in sex determination., Materials and Methods: The linear and diagonal dimensions were recorded at both crown and cementoenamel junction levels of 58 upper and 72 lower molars of 130 Northwest Indian subjects (73 males and 57 females). The measurements were subjected to appropriate statistical analyses to estimate the sex estimation accuracy from lower and upper molars separately., Results: Univariate analyses revealed that molar teeth had greater dimensions in males than the females and the mesiodistal cervical diameter (MDCV) was found to be the most suitable variable for sex determination of the molars. The classification results were in agreement with the previously conducted studies. The index of sexual dimorphism (ISD) was calculated to be higher in lower molars than the upper molars, and the highest sex differences were observed for MDCV based on the ISD. The overall sex estimation accuracy obtained from multivariate discriminant function analysis and regression analysis of pooled data was 70.0% (74% males, 64.9% females) and 66.9% (78.1% males, 52.6% females), respectively., Conclusions: Odontometrics can play a significant role in establishing the biological identity of an unknown individual even from a single tooth in the absence of other sophisticated molecular or biochemical techniques used for this purpose., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.