Rope marks in hanging take the form of a depressed abraded contusion situated high up in the neck above the larynx. It take the shape of either a complete circle when a running noose is used or an incomplete circle when a fixed knot is used.
The mark in cases where a plastic rope is used has a uniform width corresponding to the cross section of the used rope and carry a paterned impression of the rope as seen in picture 3. When a cloth material is used as a rope the width of the mark will be variable throughout the length of the mark depending on the width of the plies of the cloth used.
The mark has a transverse direction opposite the point of suspension and run obliquely on both sides aiming to the suspension point.
Fixed knots usually leave an additional abrasion at the suspension point of the neck as shown in picture 2.
In cases where a running noose is used and the original position of the rope is in the lower neck,the sudden descend of the body will leave an additional abrasion on the neck as shown in picture 4.
Drying up of rope marks after death will result in a parchment brown discolouration of the mark.