Posted by Jim Koch on November 12, 19102 at 17:29:38:
In Reply to: Human remains? posted by Ross Richardson on November 11, 19102 at 16:49:17:
If you find a bone or bones on a great lakes wreck, there are several possibilities. Cattle, mostly pigs and cows, and occasionally horses were transported by boat. One bone can present a problem, but a collection of bones will usually convey enough information to at least indicate whether or not they are human or otherwise. Human bones are actually quite distinct from those of quadrupeds. You aren't likely to encounter ape bones on a shipwreck, but you may occasionally find a dog. So if you obtain a book on human osteology and do a bit of studying you ought to be able to tell the difference. Bones which are the most easily recognized as human are the cranuim, the mandible, the pelvis, the long bones of the legs and arms, the scapula, and the sternum. Ribs, individual bones of the spine, the patela, and dis-associated bones of the hands and feet could be harder to identify without training.