Abstract

The Kirsten Skeletal Collection is curated in the Division of Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. It comprises the largest documented cadaver-derived South African coloured skeletal collection in the world. Our aim in this paper is to present an inventory and characterise the identified skeletons in the Kirsten Skeletal Collection as well as provide a descriptive indication of what researchers can expect to encounter at the anthropology unit at Stellenbosch University. The skeletal material was derived mainly from the cadaver donation programme of the Division of Anatomy and Histology over a 58-year period (1957–2015). All pertinent information for each individual skeleton is entered into a database and a full skeletal inventory is established. The skeletal database registry was analysed to demonstrate the distribution of age, sex and population affinity of individuals in the collection. Currently, this collection consists of 1161 skeletons with known records. Despite differences in the age and sex composition, the skeletal profile in general reflects mainly the profile of the Western Cape population. Most individuals were born between 1920 and 1950, placing the Kirsten Skeletal Collection in the early to mid-20th century. The age at death for the greatest proportion (41.8%) of individuals was between 40 and 60 years. Current biological profile techniques in age, ancestry and sex estimation can be improved and, among others, new regional and ancestral specific standards for the biologically unique and diverse South African coloured population can be developed.
 Significance:
 
 We present the largest documented skeletal collection of the South African coloured population in the world.
 This work contributes to the skeletal reference database for use by physical anthropologists and others.

Highlights

  • Human skeletal collections with known records are valuable for both teaching and research

  • The Kirsten Skeletal Collection currently consists of 1161 skeletons, which, according to the known cadaver records, represent mostly individuals from the Western Cape Province, South Africa

  • The South African coloured population is the highest proportion in the Western Cape (48.8%)

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Summary

Introduction

Human skeletal collections with known records are valuable for both teaching and research. Current research using human skeletal collections includes developing new techniques to test and standardise regional-specific data regarding osteometric measurements and physical observations.[1,2,3,4,5] These reference points provide practical information for the estimation of biological profiles of unknown skeletons[6] in both forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology, including estimation of age, sex and stature. The regional population demographic of the Western Cape Province consists of 32.9% South African black, 15.7% South African white and 48.8% South African coloured. Unlike other provinces in South Africa, the Western Cape Province is composed of primarily the self-identified social group called ‘South African coloureds’.6. The Kirsten Skeletal Collection is reasonably representative of the Western Cape with mainly South African coloured individuals, providing a standard database of this area in South Africa. The Kirsten Skeletal Collection was established in the late 20th century, it is only in recent years that skeletons were intentionally added to the Collection for the purposes of research

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