NCJ Number
202988
Journal
Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 56 Issue: 6 Dated: November/December 2003 Pages: 666-689
Date Published
November 2003
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This article discusses various techniques needed for making casts and molds of skulls.
Abstract
The casting of a skull may be useful for both educational purposes and as courtroom exhibits. This article describes the processes by which a skull may be molded. After detailing the ways that a skull should be prepared, the ways that clay should be built up, and the ways that a mother mold should be constructed, the article discusses the molding of the underside of a skull. A series of photographs depicting the construction process at each phase accompanies the descriptions of skull molding. Following a brief description of the best ways in which to remove a skull from its cast mold, the article details the additional steps that need to be taken in order to cast a skull that has been badly damaged. The author that because of the importance in preserving the unique evidence that a skull provides, the molding and casting technique is worth the time it takes to learn. An appendix listing the steps in creating a mold of the skull is followed by an appendix presenting diagrams and anatomical terms of the skull. Appendices, 35 figures