• Are the bones human?
• Do the bones belong to one person or multiple individuals?
• Is the individual male or female?
• What was the age and stature of the person at the time of death?
• What damage is present on the bones, and how might it have occurred?

To determine whether the individual is a child or an adult, the forensic anthropologist examines the degree of growth and development of the skeleton. Another method for estimating age is the use of microscopic sections: paper-thin slices of, for example, a bone that can be examined under a microscope. The root of a tooth, for instance, contains a type of growth ring that can provide a fairly accurate indication of age.