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Experimental Approaches to Forensic and Archaeological Investigations

Module description

This module addresses how actualistic experimentation can be used to support forensic and archaeological investigations. Experimental simulation provides an excellent way to understand how complex evidence patterns are generated at crime scenes and archaeological sites. Experimental reconstruction is also a highly effective way to communicate the results of investigations to a court room (forensic cases) or to a museum audience (archaeology). Using a wide range of fascinating case studies and practical experiences in workshops or individually, a sound grounding in experimental application, design and methodology will be provided.

The module is intended for students who have studied aspects of forensic science or archaeological science at level 2.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module will provide you with a sound grounding in experimental approaches within forensic and archaeological sciences. In particular, the module focusses on actualistic, simulation and reconstruction experiments, both as a method of scientific investigation and an approach to communicating evidence to courts and the wider public. You will gain an understanding of experimental approaches within the context of the philosophy of science and gain skills in sound experimental design. They will gain knowledge of a wide range of case studies through lectures, seminar discussions and practical workshops. Topics will include both long-term and short-term experiments addressing issues such as taphonomic processes, trauma and pathology, use of tools and weapons, site formation processes and methods of presentation through reconstruction. The module provides useful generic skills as well as being particularly useful to those of you conducting experiments as part of dissertation work, or who are interested in further postgraduate study in experimental archaeology or forensic anthropology.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Show understanding of how experiments can enhance forensic and archaeological investigations
• 2. Demonstrate skills in archaeological and forensic experimental design
• 3. Know a wide range of ways in which experiments have been applied with the two disciplines

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Show knowledge of how evidence is created on archaeological sites and crime scenes
• 5. Show understanding of the importance of clear presentation of evidence to courts and the public

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Engage in critical discussions of complex issues
• 7. Write clearly and concisely in good English
• 8. Show understanding of key components of good research design

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:

• The place of experimentation within the philosophy of science and the logic of discovery
• Exploration of different types of experiments and the history of experimentation in archaeology and forensic science
• The essentials of good experimental design: materials, protocols, controls, data handling, safety and ethics
• Taphonomic simulations (including ‘body farm’ type programmes)
• Experiments relating to trauma, tool use and material culture         
• Experiments to aid the development of evidence recovery in archaeological and forensic contexts
• Discussion of forensic and archaeological case studies of short-term and long-term experiments
• Experimental reconstruction in court room and public presentation

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Boddington, A. and Garland, A.N., 1987.Death, decay, and reconstruction: approaches to archaeology and forensic science. Manchester University Press.
• Coles, J 1979.Experimental Archaeology. London: Academic Press
• Cunningham, P., Heeb, J. and Paardekooper, R. (eds.) 2008. Experiencing Archaeology by Experiment. Oxford: Oxbow.
• DiMaio, D. and DiMaio, V.J., 2001.Forensic pathology. CRC press.
• Evis, L. 2016.Forensic Archaeology:The Application of Comparative Excavation Methods and Recording Systems. Oxford: Archaeopress.
• Haglund, W.D. and Sorg, M.H. (eds.) 2001.Advances in forensic taphonomy: method, theory, and archaeological perspectives. CRC Press.
• Sorg, M.H. and Haglund, W.D. (eds). 1996.Forensic taphonomy: the postmortem fate of human remains. CRC Press.
• Kuhn, T.S. 1962 The Structure of Scientific Revolutions Chicago: University of Chicago Press
• Mathieu, J.R. (ed.) 2002. Experimental Archaeology: Replicating Past Objects, Behaviours and Processes. Oxford: Archaeopress.
• Outram, A.K. 2008. Introduction to Experimental Archaeology. World Archaeology 40(1), 1-6.
• Popper, K. 1959 The Logic of Scientific Discovery London: Hutchinson
• Reynolds, P.J. 1999. The nature of experiment in archaeology, in A.F.Harding (ed) Experiment and Design: Archaeological Studies in Honour of John Coles. Oxford: Oxbow, pp.156-62
• Stone, P.G. and P.G. Planel (eds.) 1999. The Constructed Past:  Experimental Archaeology, Education and the Public. London: Routledge.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=11470
• Forensic Science International
• Journal of Archaeological Science

Key words search

Experiment, Archaeology, Forensic, Reconstruction