Why are bones important to anthropologist and archaeologist?

Identifying unknown individuals is a key part of forensic anthropology. The first thing the examining anthropologist must determine is whether or not the material is bone. Once a case involves human bone, the investigator must identify which bones (or "elements") are present and which are absent. Because these studies take place within an understanding of the context of human behavior and culture, physical anthropology stands as a unique link between the social and biological sciences.