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In an exhumation, a forensic scientist is just a technician
whose goal is to objectify the evidence he has in front of him.
In this particular case, we'll work with the skeletal remains
and the analysis on-site is very important.
Therefore, the forensic scientists work
at the laboratory and at the field phase too.
Furthermore, the on-site evidence shows us some issues
that are relevant to the identification process
and also in the interpretation of the causes of death.
A forensic scientist joins a team that is multidisciplinary,
which normally is led in the exhumation
by the proper archaeologists.
In fact, the methodology of the exhumation,
in essence, is an archaeological task.
In addition to the forensic scientists,
there are also biologists, who are physical anthropologists,
and they are further supplemented
with social anthropologists who collect testimonies,
or with psychologists or sociologists and other professionals
who might come to the site,
such as topographers, photographers, etc.
Well, in this multidisciplinary perspective
there seems to be a very special section for forensic doctors because,
basically, we must to answer questions such as:
the day that he died, the time in which he died,
the medical cause of death, and the legal medical etiology
that shows us whether the death was natural,
violent, a suicide, or a ***.
And, therefore, it seems that there is a starring role
for forensic doctors, but we're only one part of that team.
Thus, at each exhumation, the team may change,
but it is always multidisciplinary
and this enriches us because it gives us a transversal vision.
We are enriched by the vision of the historian
and the historian is enriched by our opinion
and on our interpretation of the causes of death.
It also enriches us to know that there is
a forensic missile specialist who explains:
"This is a rifle cartridge
in contrast to what we are seeing as the cartridge of a gun".
All of this helps us to understand the force of some injuries
that we have found in the skeleton.
The work of a forensic scientist at the exhumation
would be to talk with the relatives.
A forensic scientist not only works with the physical evidence
of the deceased person, but has to work with the living too.
Therefore, the interview is important,
the interview is to find out the background of these victims.