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Skeletal variability of the human femur and tibia through standard and non-standard measurements
Burgett, Walker Scott
Burgett, Walker Scott
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2019-12
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Electronic dissertation
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Electronic dissertations
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Abstract
Anthropologic research is critical to the ability to identify individuals based on skeletal
material alone. This project examines the femur and tibia bones of the human leg using metric
analysis to examine skeletal variation between individuals. Seventeen measurements - 11
standard and 6 non-standard were taken from the right femur and tibia of 408 individuals from
the Hamann-Todd collection located in Cleveland, Ohio along with 28 individuals from the
WSU/BAL collection in Wichita, KS. Statistical analysis was conducted using a combination of
Microsoft Excel and SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software. This research
confirms the validity of metric observations by examining simple measurements in establishing
differences between sex and group affiliations and establishes that skeletal measurements
provide important information that can accurately be used to identify unknown individuals.
Based on the quantitative analysis of the collected data, it is determined that variation between
sex and group does exist in the Hamann-Todd collection between Black and White individuals.
Results demonstrate strong accuracies with simple measurements that have low inter-observer
error and can be easily replicated. It is also found that the non-standard measurements used in
this experiment tested just as well or better than their standard counterpart. The femur lateral
trochanteric length (FLTL) and tibia lateral length (TLTL) should be considered for use in
standard measurements. These non-standard measurements can greatly help identify skeletal
variation within and between populations. This study adds to what is known and what can be
learned about sexual dimorphism and group affiliation, increasing our knowledge about variation
between population and the mechanisms that operate within them.
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Thesis (M.A.)--Wichita State University, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Anthropology
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Wichita State University
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Copyright 2019 by Walker Scott Burgett All Rights Reserved