Purkait's triangle revisited: role in sex and ancestry estimation.

Identification of unknown remains recovered from marine and terrestrial locations is a significant humanitarian problem. This investigation proposes a simple method applicable to fragmentary femora for a more refined level of ancestry and/or sex estimation. To that end, we re-examined Purkait's triangle which involves three inter-landmark distances between the traction epiphyses and the articular rim of femoral head.

Biometric sex assessment from the femur and tibia in a modern Greek population.

Forensic anthropologists assess sex by analysing quantitative and qualitative characters of the human skeleton. In general, the pelvis and skull are the skeletal regions used most often, but in many cases, they are missing or fragmentary. In such circumstances, where only limb bones are present, it is necessary to use techniques based on other skeletal elements.

Using spinal activity-related osseous change in order to explore patterns of occupational stress in a Greek Contemporary Skeletal Collection.

Even though the relationship between occupational stress and entheseal changes has been extensively examined in modern skeletal series, less attention has been given in examining degenerative and plastic osseous change along the spine in relation to different professions. This paper attempts this investigation and is the first that explores the level of physical activity in female housekeepers of The Athens Collection. A sample of 65 adult skeletons up to 50 years old and 1653 vertebrae are examined for Degenerative Joint Diseases (including Schmorl's nodes) and spinal facet remodeling.

Biometric sex estimation using the scapula and clavicle in a modern Greek population.

Human skeletal remains exhibit sexual dimorphism, which is apparent in adult living individuals as well. Researchers from forensic and osteoarchaeological fields have a growing interest in establishing metric standards for sexing by use of discriminant function analysis. The present study focuses on providing sex estimation metric standards using measurements from the scapula and clavicle in a Modern Greek sample (Athens Collection) consisting of 107 male and 90 female skeletons.

Sex determination by three-dimensional geometric morphometrics of craniofacial form.

The purpose of the present study is to define which regions of the cranium, the upper-face, the orbits and the nasal are the most sexually dimorphic, by using three-dimensional geometric morphometric methods, and investigate the effectiveness of this method in determining sex from the shape of these regions. The study sample consisted of 176 crania of known sex (94 males, 82 females) belonging to individuals who lived in Greece during the 20(th) century. The three-dimensional co-ordinates of 31 ecto-cranial landmarks were digitized using a MicroScribe 3DX contact digitizer.

Sex determination by three-dimensional geometric morphometrics of the vault and midsagittal curve of the neurocranium in a modern Greek population sample.

The aim of this study is to assess sexual dimorphism of adult crania in the vault and midsagittal curve of the vault using three-dimensional geometric morphometric methods. The study sample consisted of 176 crania of known sex (94 males, 82 females) belonging to individuals who lived during the 20th century in Greece. The three-dimensional co-ordinates of 31 ecto-cranial landmarks and 30 semi-landmarks were digitized using a MicroScribe 3DX contact digitizer.

Sex determination from the calcaneus in a 20th century Greek population using discriminant function analysis.

The skull and post-cranium have been used for the determination of sex for unknown human remains. However, in forensic cases where skeletal remains often exhibit postmortem damage and taphonomic changes the calcaneus may be used for the determination of sex as it is a preservationally favored bone. The goal of the present research was to derive discriminant function equations from the calcaneus for estimation of sex from a contemporary Greek population.

Sex determination from the talus in a contemporary Greek population using discriminant function analysis.

The determination of sex is an important part of building the biological profile for unknown human remains. Many of the bones traditionally used for the determination of sex are often found fragmented or incomplete in forensic and archaeological cases. The goal of the present research was to derive discriminant function equations from the talus, a preservationally favoured bone, for sexing skeletons from a contemporary Greek population.

Application of Purkait's triangle method on a skeletal population from southern Europe.

The existence of sexual dimorphism in individual elements of the human skeleton allows sex determination and significantly enhances the identification of fragmentary skeletal material. Traditionally, the pelvis and the skull are used for an accurate sex determination. Sometimes they are not available and alternative methods have to be used.

Sex determination by three-dimensional geometric morphometrics of the palate and cranial base.

The purpose of this study is to assess sexual dimorphism in the palate and base of adult crania using three-dimensional geometric morphometric methods. The study sample consisted of 176 crania of known sex (94 males, 82 females) belonging to individuals who lived during the 20th century in Greece. The three-dimensional co-ordinates of 30 ectocranial landmarks were digitized using a MicroScribe 3DX contact digitizer.

Guidelines for the recognition of cemetery remains in Greece.

Forensic pathologists frequently consult anthropologists for the identification of skeletonized human remains. These remains may be the result of criminal activity or remains that were unearthed because of erosion, or during construction projects. In some cases, human remains that had been previously buried in a cemetery may be the subject of a forensic investigation.

Sexual dimorphism in permanent teeth of modern Greeks.

Sex determination is considered an important step in reconstructing the biological profile of unknown individuals from a forensic context. Forensic anthropologists have long used teeth as an additional tool for sex determination as they resist postmortem destruction. In this case the use of population-specific data is necessary since sexual dimorphism varies between different populations.

A simple technique for imaging the human skeleton using a flatbed scanner.

A simple technique for imaging the human skeleton with a flatbed scanner is presented using the auricular surface of the ilium as an example. A flatbed scanner with resolution capabilities of 600 dpi or greater allows for images of human bones. The auricular surface of the ilium was selected to demonstrate this technique as it is a fairly three-dimensional area that can be difficult to record photographically.

Sex determination using metatarsal osteometrics from the Athens collection.

The determination of sex in skeletal remains performed by forensic anthropologists or bioarchaeologists typically relies on the analysis of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the skeleton. In this regard, the most widely used features belong to the pelvic and cranial areas, but these are often not available in forensic or archaeological contexts. The objective of this study is to determine the extent of dimorphism exhibited by the metatarsal bones in order to examine their utility in the metric determination of sex in skeletal remains of Greek origin.

Sex determination using metacarpal biometric data from the Athens Collection.

Forensic anthropologists and bioarchaeologists usually determine sex by analyzing quantitative and qualitative characters of the human skeleton. In general, the pelvis and skull are the skeletal parts used most often, but in many cases these parts are missing or fragmentary. In such circumstances, it is necessary to use techniques based on other skeletal elements.

The questionable contribution of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age to European craniofacial form.

Many human craniofacial dimensions are largely of neutral adaptive significance, and an analysis of their variation can serve as an indication of the extent to which any given population is genetically related to or differs from any other. When 24 craniofacial measurements of a series of human populations are used to generate neighbor-joining dendrograms, it is no surprise that all modern European groups, ranging all of the way from Scandinavia to eastern Europe and throughout the Mediterranean to the Middle East, show that they are closely related to each other. The surprise is that the Neolithic peoples of Europe and their Bronze Age successors are not closely related to the modern inhabitants, although the prehistoric/modern ties are somewhat more apparent in southern Europe.

International anthropometric study of facial morphology in various ethnic groups/races.

When anthropometric methods were introduced into clinical practice to quantify changes in the craniofacial framework, features distinguishing various races/ethnic groups were discovered. To treat congenital or post-traumatic facial disfigurements in members of these groups successfully, surgeons require access to craniofacial databases based on accurate anthropometric measurements. Normative data of facial measurements are indispensable to precise determination of the degree of deviations from the normal.