Estimation stature from X-rays of metacarpals in the Turkish population.
Determination of stature is as important as the determination of sex and age when analyzing and identifying the remains of skeletons. Stature, in an approximate and widespread manner, is determined by the femur and tibia, i.e. those long bones that affect stature directly. However, when long bones are not available or when they are found in a very badly preserved condition that does not permit any estimation on stature, then other bones of the body can also be used for this purpose. The aim of this study is to determine stature with the help of metacarpals in the Turkish population. In this study, by using the X-ray films of metacarpal bones of 100 females and 100 males, regression equations have been set up for 5 metacarpal bones. The coefficients of correlation existing between the metacarpal bones and stature, together with the standard errors of these equations, have been intensively examined in this study. The results of studies conducted by other researchers such as Musgrave & Harneja (1978) and Meadows & Jantz (1992) have been compared with the results of our study. As a result of this comparison, the difference existing between them has been found to be significant according to the results of the t-test (p < 0.05, p < 0.01 and p < 0.001). The significance of such results proves that the general body characteristics and body proportions of populations are differing from each other and therefore specific regression equations for the different populations have to be set up.
Sağir
Mehmet
M
Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Letters, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey. sagir@humanity.ankara.edu.tr
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height; D003196:Computer Graphics; D005260:Female; D018732:Forensic Anthropology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050279:Metacarpal Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014421:Turkey