Summary — In Italy is still quite uncommon that a forensic anthropologist is involved in investigative cases. Three typical cases are illustrated to demonstrate anthropological investigations conducted in Italy:
human bones emerging from soil; an unidentified, badly decomposed body from an outdoor scene; The skeletons of WWII soldiers recovered from a battlefield and processed for identification. Despite a few exceptions, unidentified skeletons, badly preserved bodies, and the presence of unrecovered soldiers from the last world war are the most common subject for anthropological investigations in Italy; but the international experience suggests further fields for the application of anthropological and archaeological
techniques, improving the collaboration between pathologists, State Prosecutor Offices and anthropologists
to create a more complete investigative team
