Studies in Forensic Biohistory

Highlights the role of anthropologists in revealing the histories and contemporary social facts that are reflected in dead bodies.

For decades anthropologists and other scientists have participated in 'post-mortem dissections' of the lives of historical figures, identifying and analyzing bodies. Presenting relevant case studies, this book examines the role of the anthropologist in the writing of histories about the famous and infamous dead and how those histories reflect contemporary social interests.The lives of kings, poets, authors, criminals and celebrities are a perpetual fascination in the media and popular culture, and for decades anthropologists and other scientists have participated in 'post-mortem dissections' of the lives of historical figures. In this field of biohistory, researchers have identified and analyzed these figures' bodies using technologies such as DNA fingerprinting, biochemical assays, and skeletal biology. This book brings together biohistorical case studies for the first time, and considers the role of the anthropologist in the writing of historical narratives surrounding the deceased. Contributors theorize biohistory with respect to the sociology of the body, examining the ethical implications of biohistorical work and the diversity of social theoretical perspectives that researchers' work may relate to. The volume defines scales of biohistorical engagement, providing readers with a critical sense of scale and the different paths to 'historical notoriety' that can emerge with respect to human remains.