title: Femoral subtrochanteric shape variation in Albania: implications for use in forensic applications.
abstract: This paper investigates temporal trends in femoral subtrochanteric shape in Albanian skeletal material to evaluate levels of platymeria in a set of populations with European ancestry. Although flattening of the diaphysis in the subtrochanteric region has been associated with individuals of Native American and Asian ancestry, high levels of platymeria may not be unique to those groups. The forensic utility of Gilbert and Gill's (Skeletal Attribution of Race: Methods for Forensic Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, 1990) method for identifying ancestry from femoral subtrochanteric shape is examined using non-American skeletons of European ancestry. Femoral subtrochanteric anteroposterior and mediolateral diameters for Albanian skeletons from Apollonia (n=117) and Lofkënd (n=50) are assessed for temporal trends and then compared with published data using one-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests. High degrees of subtrochanteric flattening are identified in the Albanian samples and statistically significant temporal trends of decreasing platymeria are documented. Although recent publications suggest that subtrochanteric shape is less effective in identifying ancestry then was initially proposed, forensic anthropologists still commonly use femoral subtrochanteric shape to determine ancestry among skeletonized remains. This paper's findings support the assertion that proximal femoral morphology is functionally related, and more likely to be influenced by biomechanical adaptation and body proportions than genetic constraints.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Northern Colorado, Campus Box 90, Greeley, CO 80639, USA. Electronic address: britney.mcilvaine@unco.edu.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: McIlvaine
authors.affiliation: School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Health Sciences, 7 York Road Parktown, 2193 Johannesburg, South Africa; University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6324, USA.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Schepartz
mesh_terms: D000415:Albania; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018483:Diaphyses / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D018732:Forensic Anthropology / Q000379:methods*; D005580:Fossils / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics / Q000379:methods; D044465:White People