Agreement in Sexing and Estimating Stature in Human Skeletal Remains

Abstract

Forensic anthropology involves the application of anthroposcopic and anthropometric techniques to analyze human skeletal remains. This research outlines the assessment of a set of human skeletal remains for characteristics of sex and stature using forensic anthropological techniques to conclude whether various bones in a human skeleton are in agreement regarding these characteristics. The data for this study was collected using sliding calipers, spreading calipers, a soft measuring tape, and an osteometric board. In addition to the anthropometric data collected for statistical analysis, anthroposcopic data was also used to visually assess the individual. After the data collection concluded, various methods were applied for assessing sex and estimating stature that are used by a multitude of researchers in the field of forensic anthropology. Of the studied individual, the sex was determined to be female and the stature found in the range of five foot five to five foot six inches as determined by a majority of the results. Albeit being affected by some limitations, the study contributed to knowledge in the application of assessment methods for these two characteristics and how well various bones agreed regarding the sex and stature of the individual.