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Scientific evidence for the identification of an Aboriginal massacre at the Sturt Creek sites on the Kimberley frontier of north-western Australia.

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Title: Scientific evidence for the identification of an Aboriginal massacre at the Sturt Creek sites on the Kimberley frontier of north-western Australia.
Authors: Smith, Pamela A.1 smithric@tpg.com.au, Raven, Mark D.2 Mark.Raven@csiro.au, Walshe, Keryn3 Keryn.Walshe@samuseum.sa.gov.au, Fitzpatrick, Robert W.2 Rob.Fitzpatrick@csiro.au, Pate, F. Donald1 Donald.Pate@flinders.edu.au
Source: Forensic Science International. Oct2017, Vol. 279, p258-267. 10p.
Subjects: Massacres, Aboriginal Australians, Archival research, Forensic sciences, Mineral analysis, Anthropology, Bones, Burns & scalds, Fires, Forensic anthropology, Homicide, Microscopy, Police, Crime victims, X-rays
Geographic Terms: Kimberley (W.A.), Australia
Abstract: Archival research into episodes of frontier violence in the Kimberley region of Western Australia indicate that the bodies of Aboriginal victims of massacres were frequently incinerated following the event. This paper presents the results of a scientific investigation of a reported massacre at Sturt Creek where burnt bone fragments were identified in two adjacent sites and documents the archaeological signatures associated with the sites. The methodology used to undertake the project brought together three systems of knowledge: the oral testimonies of the descent group originating from a sole adult survivor of the massacre; archival, historical and scientific research. An archaeological survey defined the two distinct sites containing hundreds of fragile bone fragments; a third site was found to be highly disturbed. Scientific investigations included macroscopic and microscopic examination of selected bone fragments by an anatomical pathologist and a zooarchaeologist and X-ray diffraction analysis of sixteen bone fragments. The anatomical pathologist and zooarchaeologist undertook macroscopic and microscopic examinations of selected bone samples to identify morphological evidence for human origin. It was concluded that three bone fragments examined may have been human, and two of the fragments may have been from the vault of a skull. It was concluded that the likelihood of them being human would be strengthened if it was found that the three samples had been subjected to high temperatures. X-ray diffraction analysis of 16 bone fragments provided this evidence. All fragments showed sharp hydroxylapatite peaks (crystallite sizes 9882nm and 597nm respectively) and all had been subjected to extreme temperatures of either 600°C for more than 80h, 650°C for more than 20h, 700°C for more than 4h or 800°C for more than 1h. XRD analyses were also done on bone samples collected from three cooking hearths at three different archaeological sites. It was found that two of the three samples had been exposed to substantially lower temperatures for a short time period. It was concluded that there was strong pathological and archaeological evidence that the bone fragments were human in origin, but that the evidence was not conclusive. This research also identified archaeological signatures for the identification of massacre sites in similar Australian environments and circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Forensic Science International is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
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DbLabel: Engineering Source
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PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
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  Data: Scientific evidence for the identification of an Aboriginal massacre at the Sturt Creek sites on the Kimberley frontier of north-western Australia.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Smith%2C+Pamela+A%2E%22">Smith, Pamela A.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> smithric@tpg.com.au</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Raven%2C+Mark+D%2E%22">Raven, Mark D.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><i> Mark.Raven@csiro.au</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Walshe%2C+Keryn%22">Walshe, Keryn</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><i> Keryn.Walshe@samuseum.sa.gov.au</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fitzpatrick%2C+Robert+W%2E%22">Fitzpatrick, Robert W.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><i> Rob.Fitzpatrick@csiro.au</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pate%2C+F%2E+Donald%22">Pate, F. Donald</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> Donald.Pate@flinders.edu.au</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Forensic+Science+International%22">Forensic Science International</searchLink>. Oct2017, Vol. 279, p258-267. 10p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Massacres%22">Massacres</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Aboriginal+Australians%22">Aboriginal Australians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Archival+research%22">Archival research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Forensic+sciences%22">Forensic sciences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mineral+analysis%22">Mineral analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anthropology%22">Anthropology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bones%22">Bones</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Burns+%26+scalds%22">Burns & scalds</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fires%22">Fires</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Forensic+anthropology%22">Forensic anthropology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Homicide%22">Homicide</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Microscopy%22">Microscopy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Police%22">Police</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Crime+victims%22">Crime victims</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22X-rays%22">X-rays</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kimberley+%28W%2EA%2E%29%22">Kimberley (W.A.)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Archival research into episodes of frontier violence in the Kimberley region of Western Australia indicate that the bodies of Aboriginal victims of massacres were frequently incinerated following the event. This paper presents the results of a scientific investigation of a reported massacre at Sturt Creek where burnt bone fragments were identified in two adjacent sites and documents the archaeological signatures associated with the sites. The methodology used to undertake the project brought together three systems of knowledge: the oral testimonies of the descent group originating from a sole adult survivor of the massacre; archival, historical and scientific research. An archaeological survey defined the two distinct sites containing hundreds of fragile bone fragments; a third site was found to be highly disturbed. Scientific investigations included macroscopic and microscopic examination of selected bone fragments by an anatomical pathologist and a zooarchaeologist and X-ray diffraction analysis of sixteen bone fragments. The anatomical pathologist and zooarchaeologist undertook macroscopic and microscopic examinations of selected bone samples to identify morphological evidence for human origin. It was concluded that three bone fragments examined may have been human, and two of the fragments may have been from the vault of a skull. It was concluded that the likelihood of them being human would be strengthened if it was found that the three samples had been subjected to high temperatures. X-ray diffraction analysis of 16 bone fragments provided this evidence. All fragments showed sharp hydroxylapatite peaks (crystallite sizes 9882nm and 597nm respectively) and all had been subjected to extreme temperatures of either 600°C for more than 80h, 650°C for more than 20h, 700°C for more than 4h or 800°C for more than 1h. XRD analyses were also done on bone samples collected from three cooking hearths at three different archaeological sites. It was found that two of the three samples had been exposed to substantially lower temperatures for a short time period. It was concluded that there was strong pathological and archaeological evidence that the bone fragments were human in origin, but that the evidence was not conclusive. This research also identified archaeological signatures for the identification of massacre sites in similar Australian environments and circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Forensic Science International is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.08.018
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 10
        StartPage: 258
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Massacres
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Aboriginal Australians
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Archival research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Forensic sciences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mineral analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anthropology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bones
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Burns & scalds
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fires
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Forensic anthropology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Homicide
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Microscopy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Police
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Crime victims
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: X-rays
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Kimberley (W.A.)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Australia
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Scientific evidence for the identification of an Aboriginal massacre at the Sturt Creek sites on the Kimberley frontier of north-western Australia.
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            NameFull: Smith, Pamela A.
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              Text: Oct2017
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