Half a century of systematic research on heat-induced colour changes in bone-A review

Skeletal human remains presenting heat-induced changes have been a focus of study for a long time. However, there is still a long way to go for the anthropologists to be able to fully interpret and understand these changes. Heat-induced colour modifications are one of the least understood phenomena in bone, displaying a variety of exceptions (e.g., tints of yellow, orange, blue, green, pink, and red) to the expected colour variations that bone can produce when exposed to high temperatures (i.e., ivory, brown, black, various shades of grey, and white). In addition to these, there is a lack of uniformization in the literature regarding the methods to determine the exact colourations observed and the nomenclature used, giving way to subjective descriptions. However, commitment to more objective and reliable methods is visible in more recent research. In this review, we compiled data published in the literature throughout the years to portray the state of the art regarding the potential of heatinduced colour changes for inferring the circumstances of death and the applicability of these methods in the legal framework.

Automated summary

Skeletal human remains that have undergone heat-induced changes have been extensively studied, but there is still much to learn and understand about these changes. Heat-induced colour modifications in bones are not well understood, as they often present unexpected colors instead of the typical variations. Additionally, there is a lack of standardization in determining and naming these colorations, leading to subjective descriptions. However, recent research shows a commitment to more objective methods. This review compiles literature data to discuss the potential of heat-induced color changes in inferring cause of death and their applicability in legal contexts.