title: The taphonomy of human remains in a glacial environment.
abstract: A glacial environment is a unique setting that can alter human remains in characteristic ways. This study describes glacial dynamics and how glaciers can be understood as taphonomic agents. Using a case study of human remains recovered from Colony Glacier, Alaska, a glacial taphonomic signature is outlined that includes: (1) movement of remains, (2) dispersal of remains, (3) altered bone margins, (4) splitting of skeletal elements, and (5) extensive soft tissue preservation and adipocere formation. As global glacier area is declining in the current climate, there is the potential for more materials of archaeological and medicolegal significance to be exposed. It is therefore important for the forensic anthropologist to have an idea of the taphonomy in this setting and to be able to differentiate glacial effects from other taphonomic agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Reno. Electronic address: mpilloud@unr.edu.
authors.forename: Marin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pilloud
authors.affiliation: Central Identification Laboratory, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.
authors.forename: Mary S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Megyesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Truffer
authors.affiliation: Trudeau Centre for Peace, Conflict, and Justice, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Congram
mesh_terms: D000060:Accidents, Aviation; D000413:Alaska; D000071298:Body Remains; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology; D055873:Extreme Cold; D018732:Forensic Anthropology; D006801:Humans; D046448:Ice Cover; D011180:Postmortem Changes
keywords: Forensic anthropology; Glacial dynamics; Glacial movement; Glacial taphonomy