In the Eye of the Beholder: Sex and Race Estimation using the Human Orbital Aperture*

Abstract

From the works of Broca and Krogman to modern-day Jantz and Buikstra, the orbit has been used for both quantitative and qualitative sex and race estimation. This study evaluates the practical value of these estimations. Orbital height and breadth were measured to determine the orbital index and assess differences between men and women or black people and white people in the Hamann-Todd Collection. Replicability of these measures was also examined. Finally, a geometric morphometric study was performed to assess shape differences using the entire margin. Significant differences were found in both the index and the geomorphometric study; however, further investigation revealed that the differences were of little practical use. The measurement differences were found to be smaller than intra-observer error, while the geometric morphometric analysis demonstrated that minimal percentage of variation in shape was attributable to group differences. Thus, these techniques should not be used to estimate sex or race.