Taphonomy in Forensic Practice: a Hitherto Uncharted Field

Putrefaction or decomposition is the last stage in the resolution of the body from the organic to the inorganic state brought about by two processes—autolysis and bacterial action. When tissues die, there is a rise in certain enzyme levels and enzymes are released from tissue cells that soften and liquefy the various tissues of the body. This process of autolysis commences 3–4 hours after death and continues steadily for 2–3 days, some times longer. Bacteria also produce a large variety of enzymes that assist in the decomposition. It is not unusual to receive the bodies in different stages of decomposition in medicolegal practice. However, careful examination always yields important information in all such cases. Taphonomy is one such science that deals with the decomposed and skeletonised bodies to extract the requisite information for forensic purposes.