At the age of 37, Mary Manhein discovered her passion for forensic anthropology. Since childhood, she had been captivated with the stories of peoples' lives. Digging up bones and artifacts, to postulate and discern the tales of life and death they might suggest, satisfied Mary's craving to unearth stories that had yet to be told. In her book, The Bone Lady, Mary recounts stories of the real people whose remains she examined and analyzed over the years.
Mary's story of "The Cast Iron Coffin" illustrates how looks can be deceiving. She tells of a cast iron coffin that had been uncovered in a Louisiana family cemetery. A small "viewing window" at one end of the metal tube-shaped coffin allowed the man who discovered it to peer inside. There, he saw a well-preserved body. The beard, dark skin and a fine ruffled shirt visible through the window were reminiscent of a Spanish explorer, so the man named the corpse "the Spaniard."
Mary was elated, imagining that this mysterious coffin may reveal an intriguing story of life in the 17th century. She sought and acquired permission to transport the coffin and its occupant for analysis at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., where it was opened with immense anticipation, fanfare and public attention. Instead of a Spanish gentleman from the 1600's, however, the corpse proved to be from the period not long after the U.S. Civil War in the 1860's. Although the true story wasn't what Mary had anticipated, it was nonetheless rewarding to learn the true identity of the mystery "Spaniard.) According to this passage, a forensic anthropologist _______________________.
A. always works for the Smithsonian Institute
B. studies Spanish history
C. digs up, examines and analyzes bones
D. collects bones as a hobby