William M. Bass

William M. Bass is an American forensic anthropologist who founded the University of Tennessee’s Forensic Anthropology Center, known as the Body Farm. His research advanced the study of human decomposition and skeletal identification.

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Wilton M. Krogman: Wilton M. Krogman was an American physical anthropologist whose work helped establish forensic anthropology in the United States. Krogman’s landmark textbook helped define the discipline Bass later expanded.
Forensic anthropology: Forensic anthropology applies the study of human remains to legal investigations, especially identification and analysis of skeletal evidence. This is the discipline Bass helped develop through research and casework.
Forensic Anthropology Center: The University of Tennessee Forensic Anthropology Center conducts research and training involving human remains. Bass founded this center, which houses the facility known as the Body Farm.
Skeletal identification: Skeletal identification uses human bones to establish identity or narrow the possible identity of unknown remains. Bass applied skeletal analysis to identify remains in forensic investigations.
Arpad Vass: Arpad Vass is an American forensic anthropologist known for research on human decomposition and postmortem chemistry. Vass conducted decomposition research at the Body Farm after Bass established it.
Human decomposition: Human decomposition is the series of biological and chemical changes that break down a body after death. Bass’s outdoor research documented how decomposition proceeds under varied conditions.
Body Farm: The Body Farm is the outdoor human decomposition research facility at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Bass established this research site to study decomposition under documented conditions.
Forensic archaeology: Forensic archaeology applies archaeological excavation and recording methods to legal investigations. Careful recovery preserves contextual evidence needed to interpret remains.
Dawnie Wolfe Steadman: Dawnie Wolfe Steadman is an American forensic anthropologist and director of the University of Tennessee Forensic Anthropology Center. Steadman succeeded Bass as director of the center he founded.
Biological profile: A biological profile estimates characteristics such as age, sex, ancestry, and stature from human skeletal remains. Skeletal profiling is central to the identification work Bass practiced and taught.