Bosnia and Herzegovina: Forensic Archaeology in Support of National and International Organisations Undertaking Criminal Investigations and Identifying the Missing from 1996 to 2013

This chapter deals with the success of forensic archaeology as one of several forensic sciences in a multidisciplinary system assisting in criminal and missing person's investigations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The work undertaken between 1996 and 2013 remains the largest continuous forensic operation ever undertaken in which forensic archaeology and anthropology has supported death investigations and identifications. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) began field operations in 1996, conducting the search for and excavations of mass graves for the purpose of collecting evidence for its ongoing war crimes prosecutions in The Hague. The approaches to these excavations utilised techniques commonly used in research excavations, and rescue excavations in the United Kingdom. National efforts and international support for investigations in Bosna i Hercegovina (BiH) have been extensive and sustained. More forensic archaeological excavations and excavation hours have been undertaken in BiH than anywhere else in the world.