Forensic anthropology is an active field of research within the forensic sciences. This becomes apparent in the fact that in recent years, numerous articles on subjects of forensic anthropology have been published in the worldwide leading journals of legal medicine [1–14].

This issue includes 12 articles dealing with forensic anthropology. They mainly have their origin in lectures presented at the first meetings of the Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe (FASE). FASE was created in Milano at the 19th Congress of the International Academy of Legal Medicine (IALM). Its aims are:

  • to encourage the study of, improve the practice of, establish and enhance standards for and advance the science of forensic anthropology and related disciplines; promote knowledge and research in the field,

  • to harmonise techniques and diagnostic procedures in forensic anthropology across Europe,

  • to encourage and promote adherence to high standards of ethics, conduct and professional practice in forensic anthropology,

  • to promote training and certification in forensic anthropology and eventually create Boards of certificates and inform the existence of trained forensic anthropologists in order to guarantee high quality performance in the medicolegal study of human remains,

  • the formation of working groups in different areas of forensic anthropology and accreditation of protocols and laboratories [15].

More than 100 scientists have already been trained at FASE workshops. These days, the FASE represents more than 25% of the IALM members. FASE brings together anthropologists, forensic pathologists, odontologists, geneticists and other experts in the fields of forensic sciences. This is an important difference to the situation in the USA where forensic anthropology is only practised by anthropologists. Another difference is that forensic anthropologists in Europe do not only examine bones. Further central fields of work are the forensic age diagnostics of living individuals as well as the identification of living individuals on documentary photos or films. Examples of cases in which expertise in forensic anthropology are required are:

  • scenes of crime involving badly charred bodies [16],

  • mass disasters [17],

  • age and sex analysis of unidentified remains [18, 19],

  • facial and hand skin reconstruction [20–22],

  • forensic age diagnostics of living individuals [23–25],

  • height estimation of subjects represented in photograms [26] and

  • radiographic identification with post-mortem multislice computed tomography [27].

The number of scientists working in the field of forensic anthropology and the degree of international cooperation between the various groups are increasing. There are international attempts at standardisation and quality assessment of the techniques and methodologies. It can therefore be hoped that in the future, forensic anthropology will play an even more important role in the elucidation of acts of crime.