Reconstructing the impact of infectious disease on past populations is one of the main fields in paleopathological studies. The initial phase of paleopathology was descriptive, focusing on the identification and presence of disease in the past. However, currently paleopathological studies are moving toward probing questions about the larger picture of origin and transmission of disease agents. In this study, paleopathological studies of major infectious disease (i.e., tubuerculosis, treponemal disease and leprosy) were reviewed through osteoarcheological work published in American Journal of Physical Anthropology, International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, Journal of Archaeological Science and International Journal of Paleopathology from 1981 to 2017. A basic objective of this research was to examine many types of research in paleopathology and to characterize research trend in this field. As paleopathological studies becomes more abundant, the approaches to infectious disease have been increasingly specialized and interdisciplinary from 1980. Also, methodology used in paleopathology continues to evolve through the holistic approaches of molecular analysis, radiology and histopathology. Ultimately, this study reinforces the importance for retention of large-scale skeletal collections for paleopathological study in population perspective. In the near future, Korean paleopathology can contribute in the reconstructions of the history of disease and its effect on past human populations.
Anthropology, Physical ; Communicable Diseases* ; Humans ; Leprosy ; Paleopathology ; Syphilis ; Tuberculosis

Forensic anthropology is helpful for correct and fast identification of unknown individuals in mass disaster or from unidentified skeletal remains. It is based on the data of the physical anthropology and applied to the identification in many countries. The purpose of this study is to statistically analyze the 290 forensic records by an office request at NISI during 6 years and to suggest the research model for physical anthropological data that would be helpful to be used at the forensic field. The most common excavated bone was a hard bone as skull and long bones and an unknown place was the most common excavation seat over 50% among the recording place. The probability of excavation with adjacent bone was high and the small sized bones, such as phalanges of hand and foot, were excavated rarely. The incomplete or fragmented bones were found more frequently than of complete. For this reason, we think that will show the priority order of the forensic and physical anthropologic studies in Korea and the necessity of the anatomical education for police officers and inspectors of forensic fields.
Anthropology, Physical ; Disasters ; Foot ; Forensic Anthropology ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Korea ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Police ; Skull

The role of forensic anthropology is to reconstruct the process of individual death by predicting the cause and manner of death as well as to find out biological profiles of unknown skeletal remains based on the data of physical anthropology. The purpose of this study is to suggest the data of decision-making process for cranial fractures and its related weapons of skeletal remains from the forensic fields. A hammer (31.7%) and baseball bat (16.7%) represented almost half of the blunt type of weapon used in the cranial fracture. The linear fracture was caused by most of weapons, the spider's web and depressed fracture by the hammer, and the comminuted fracture by the heavy tools such as maul, wrench, etc as well as the hammer. By the chi-square test, there were significant differences between fracture patterns and types of weapon that it was helpful to estimate the weapon of cranial fracture for forensic anthropological decisions. Conclusively, we could prepare the priority order of estimating cause and manner of death in the case of cranial fracture for the forensic context and suggest research design of physical anthropology about osteological biomechanics and taphonomy relating cranial fractures.
Anthropology, Physical ; Baseball ; Biomechanics ; Forensic Anthropology ; Fractures, Comminuted ; Research Design ; Skull ; Weapons

On November 14, 2001, well -preserved male child corpse was excavated at Heapyeong Yoon's family mountain, Gyeonggi -do, in Korea. For one year after the excavation, the researches about this mummified male were made with various aspects including physical anthropology, forensic medicine, histology, radiology, and archaeology. After the researches, the mummy was presumed to be born at A.D. 1680, the middle of Joseon dynasty period and to die at about 5.5 years old by small pox or complications of same disease. This study is for physical anthropological measurement for this mummy and comparison to anthropometric data of mordern Korean 5 years old male child. The ratio of iliocristal height, iliospinal height and total arm length to standing height of the mummy is smaller than the same age group of mordern Korean. In cephalic index, the head of the mummy is hyperbrachycephalic, acrocephalic and hypsicephalic. There is no difference of cephalic index between the mummy and the same age group of mordern Korean. The mummy was taken the whole body computed tomography with 1mm slice distance. After automatic segmentation process of the skull, the model of the skull was reconstructed.
Anthropology, Physical ; Anthropometry* ; Archaeology ; Arm ; Cadaver ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Forensic Medicine ; Gyeonggi-do ; Head ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male* ; Mummies* ; Skull

No abstract available.
Anthropology, Physical* ; Optic Nerve

No abstract available.
Anthropology, Physical* ; Optic Nerve

Mandible is the biggest and the hardest facial bone and its shape is found well-remained in the fossil and forensic research area. Therefore it is of significance in physical anthropology and it has been used to distinguish the different ethnic groups as well as the sex. The researchers took 102 mandibles in Korean of the known sex and examined the physical anthropologic characteristics that exist among the Korean males and females as well as the different ethnic groups. Through examining 13 criteria that include the shape of the chin and the shape of mental spine the following results were achieved. Out of the 13 non-metric criteria of the examined mandibles, Concerning the sexual dimorphism, the most distinguished criteria was the contour of the mandibular lower border. In males, 68.1% showed the "rocker form", on the other hand in females, the "straight form" was more general (82.0%). In addition, the shape also differed in mental region. In males the shape of the chin was bilobate or square form generally (91.7%), while females' mandible wasn't bilobate form, but square (53.6%) and pointed form (46.4%). Beside this, there was no differences between the male and female. We compared in presence of mylohyoid canal in Korean with the other ethnic groups by non-metric traits. The mylohyoid canal was relatively low by 5% among the Asians including the Koreans and relatively high by 10.0% among the Whites and over 15.0% among the Blacks.
African Continental Ancestry Group ; Anthropology, Physical ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chin ; Ethnic Groups ; Facial Bones ; Female ; Fossils ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible* ; Sex Differentiation ; Spine

By finding the documents of Korean physical anthropology in one place easily, everyone can use them fruitfully. We developed internet site to search them, which published from early 20th century to present days. We also analyzed documents of physical anthropology and databased the tables which is considered to be kernel of results. The advantage of this internet site is followings. We classified the documents of physical anthropology by body regions and we also classified them in detail to reach them easily. The documents are also divided into materials and its methods to search conveniently. Everyone can search a data by classification and also by using a keyword they can find document or data. There are 3 steps to search. First step is searching the title of document and author, second step is searching the name of table including the first step and the last step is searching items in table. If they don't know the contents they can search data by index. We added some pictures and explanations to restore the document or table, which are difficult and hard to understand the point. By these additions, we could understand them briefly. We could quote from past data and also we could easily compare previous data with ours by using this search engine.
Anthropology ; Anthropology, Physical* ; Body Regions ; Classification ; Internet* ; Search Engine*

Molecular identification of human externally visible characteristic （EVC）, which is also called forensic DNA phenotyping （FDP）, can serve as a "molecular witness" when the routine investigations can not determine the identity of a criminal and the DNA database find no match after comparison. FDP could assist in investigation of cases by inferring the externally visible phenotypic characteristics from DNA obtained from the biological materials left at crime scenes, or unknown corpses. In the last few years, studies on the selection of EVC related molecular markers have been reported frequently and some of the EVCs could already be inferred with a certain accuracy, such as hair color and iris color. Further fundamental research on molecular genetics of human external phenotypic characteristics, as well as the continuous innovation on molecular biological technology would promote the rapid development of DNA molecular identification of human phenotypic characteristics.
DNA/genetics* ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; Eye Color/genetics* ; Forensic Anthropology/trends* ; Forensic Genetics/trends* ; Hair Color/genetics* ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Physical Appearance, Body/genetics* ; Skin Pigmentation/genetics*

Skeletal remains collected from the archaeological fields must be maintained carefully, for being used in scientific studies on the physical characteristics, health status, and pathological disease of the ancient or medieval human populations. Even if Joseon Dynasty Human Sample Collection might be a good example for such studies, few of bone collections predated the Joseon Age (e.g. Goryeo Dynasty) have been established until now, possibly owing to poor preservation condition of archaeological sites in Korea. In this study, we performed anthropological studies on a few cases of Goryeo skeletons, which have been rarely reported by anthropologists in Korea. Judging from the preservation status of bones found in various types of Goryeo graves (e.g. earthen- or stone-chambered tombs), many cases seem to be cremated in accordance with Buddhist funeral rites. Goryeo bone collections must be constructed with the bones identified in the earthen tombs, which were preserved much perfectly than those of any other types of Goryeo tombs.
Anthropology, Physical ; Archaeology ; Funeral Rites ; Humans ; Korea ; Skeleton