Final answer:
The characteristics of a human skull, such as trauma marks from sharp objects, are used by forensic anthropologists to help determine cause and manner of death. They provide crucial data to forensic pathologists for making final determinations. The existence of specific marks and injuries on the skull are key to understanding the circumstances of death.
Step-by-step explanation:
The features on a human skull that help to determine the cause and manner of death include trauma marks from sharp objects that produce clean cuts to the bone, visible as straight lines. These features are analyzed by forensic anthropologists, who have expertise in human osteology and assist in interpreting these marks for legal and medical professionals. When analyzed properly, such skeletal material can provide vital information about mortality patterns and the circumstances surrounding death.
Forensic anthropologists use a variety of techniques to solve crimes, including the examination of skeletal remains to discover distinctive features of the deceased. By studying perimortem trauma, they contribute to investigations by providing information about the cause and manner of death, which is then used by a forensic pathologist to make a final determination. As such, the existence of particular trauma on the skull can be indicative of the circumstances leading to a person's death.