Strange things going on in the garden....is it a crime scene?

As my Identifying the Dead online course continues, and I am midway through week three, I have been doing some hands-on stuff in the garden. Yes, I set up my evidence, a collection of odd items like a water bottle, keys, a coin etc. and then proceeded to measure and map my crime scene. What the neighbours must think (if they saw) I don't know. There has also been some identifying of bones, more colouring in and today I did an experiment into sharp force trauma and blunt force trauma - no skulls were cracked or body parts pierced. I had modelling clay and a ruler. See photos below, sorry they're not great and the crime scene items are rather lost in the long grass!!

I then watched a video of bones being sawn or cut which had the warning don't try this at home. I had to laugh. Next I have to try and identify how the arm and leg hones of victim (in the story we are following) were cut - not easy as the photos are not close enough. But I'll have a go.

I'm learning a lot - too much to ever remember - about soils, horizon lines, excavating a body and cleaning the bones. Did you know beetles are sometimes used to clean bones with flesh still on them? Nice. We have weekly hang outs where questions are answered that students raise. They are are also great. We have been told that by week four we we all wish we had never started this course. Oh well. Have a good laugh at my photos!