title: Forensic aspect of cremations on wooden pyre.
abstract: Three cases of cremation on open-air pyres are described. One was classified as a suicide and two as homicides. Fire duration was estimated at approximately 1 h, close to 2 h and more than 3 h, respectively. The position of the remains, the colour alteration of bone and the burned bone fractures biomechanics are discussed. Knowledge of normal burn patterns in fire and detection of perimortem lesions are essential. These three cases highlight the specific thermal alterations and burning processes in accordance with fire duration. In each case, careful investigation yielded clues as to the manner of death. Close cooperation between law enforcement and forensic pathology investigators is required in order to correctly identify the circumstances of death.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Médecine Légale et d'Anthropologie médico-légale, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Faculté de Médecine, 28 Avenue de Valombrose, 06107 Nice Cedex 2, France. Electronic address: alunni.v@chu-nice.fr.
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alunni
authors.affiliation: CEPAM (Cultures et Environnements, Préhistoire, Antiquité, Moyen Âge), UMR7264-CNRS, Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, Campus Saint-Jean d'Angély 3, 24 Avenue des Diables Bleus, 06357 Nice Cedex 4, France. Electronic address: g.grevin@voila.fr.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grevin
authors.affiliation: CEPAM (Cultures et Environnements, Préhistoire, Antiquité, Moyen Âge), UMR7264-CNRS, Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, Campus Saint-Jean d'Angély 3, 24 Avenue des Diables Bleus, 06357 Nice Cedex 4, France. Electronic address: luc.buchet@cepam.cnrs.fr.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buchet
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Médecine Légale et d'Anthropologie médico-légale, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Faculté de Médecine, 28 Avenue de Valombrose, 06107 Nice Cedex 2, France. Electronic address: quatrehomme.g@chu-nice.fr.
authors.forename: Gérald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quatrehomme
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055700:Cremation; D018732:Forensic Anthropology; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013405:Suicide
keywords: Cremation; Forensic anthropology; Homicide; Pyre; Suicide; Thermal destruction of corpses