Driving on the R21 or N4, from Pretoria to Johannesburg, during the winter months in the Highveldt; what do you see on a regular basis? A veldt fire here, a veldt fire there, a veldt fire everywhere. Besides the fact that veldt fires are destructive and dangerous, they can also reveal hidden treasures, such as skeletal remains.
My MSc research at the Forensic Anthropology Research Centre (FARC) of the University of Pretoria is about finding better ways to help identify the skeletal remains of an unknown person, after their body has been burned. Many of the remains we analyse at the FARC were discovered in a veldt, and often after a fire.
As biological anthropologists, we employ a standard list of methods during forensic case analyses. These conventional methods have been created with a reference database of intact bones, and because of the warping and heat-induced changes caused by fire, standard methods cannot be applied on burnt or cremated skeletal elements. My current project focuses on how we can adjust these standard methods of measuring bones and use them on burnt remains.
My current research provided me with the opportunity to leave South Africa for the first time in my life.
I got to explore a different country and culture, as well as learn from and interact with other international students and academics. The best part was seeing a different skeletal collection and burnt bones arising from different scenarios than those we typically see in South Africa.
Through the Bakeng se Afrika project, I was able to go to Portugal to attend a biostatistical analysis and trauma workshop at the University of Coimbra. There, I met one of the main scientists involved with the burnt human remains research. The Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology at the University of Coimbra is leading a large project with multiple aspects on the analysis of burnt human remains; from prehistoric populations to modern forensic cases. Several of their projects involved burning dry human skeletal remains in a caravan (simulating a car or house fire), in an autoclave (mimicking incinerators), or also putting dry bones out in the open forest (under scientific control/supervision) during natural forest fires. Some of the research in this project includes comparing the chemical compositions of bones burnt in a controlled experimental setting and in a wildfire scenario; using vibrational spectroscopy. They also use 3D scanned images of burnt remains to recreate the original bone shape prior to the shrinkage and warping due to the burning event. You can check out HOT, their appropriately named blog, for more infos about their research.
This research journey allowed me the unique opportunity to compare their burnt bones from the different scenarios to what we typically see in a forensic setting in South Africa. There were two main differences between the South African and Portuguese environment regarding burnt remains. Firstly, for my research, I burnt pig bones obtained from a butcher, instead of human bones. Secondly, I discovered that the fires are different in South Africa than they are in Portugal. The South African veldt fires are cooler than the fires from the Portuguese autoclave, and even from the caravan fires, resulting in different colour and chemical changes; creating unique patterns for each region’s burnt remains. During the workshop, I was fortunate to discuss and compare burnt remains from different continents and countries with fellow anthropologists and forensic pathologists.
Coimbra is a beautiful city with many hills and cobblestones everywhere. All the walking was definitely worth it especially considering the delicious ice cream. The blend of modern and old architecture made for good conversation, and we philosophized about the rich history and the bright future of the country. The food was marvellous although my South African taste buds required a little bit more salt. I am so thankful for this opportunity and this trip has shown me that inter-disciplinary collaboration is the way forward.
Maritza Liebenberg
MSc Student
Physical Anthropology Section
University of Pretoria