Cranial and post-cranial metric variation : regional isolation in Eastern Europe

The purpose of this study is to present comparative analyses of contemporary American White, Croatian, and Bosnian cranial and postcranial morphology as well as to compare these to other Balkan groups. Presently, the skeletal criteria used to identify Croatian and Bosnian casualties are based on US samples and are inappropriate. Multivariate statistical methods were employed in the analyses. The cranial results indicate that American Whites are markedly different from the Eastern European groups. Bosnians and Croatians differ from American Whites in having shorter, broader cranial vaults. The variation observed between Croatians and Bosnians is sufficient to correctly classify them at a rate of over 80%. The difference between American Whites and Eastern EkirOpeans clearly demonstrates the need for local identification standards. In addition, the cranial results reveal significant differences among other Balkan groups. These results are supported by the F_ST values generated, which demonstrate strong craniometric variation among European populations. The post-cranial results indicate that although American Whites, Croatians, and Bosnians do not differ in size, their proportions differ considerably. There were also significant differences for femur midshaft ratio, robusticity index, and cross-sectional area between Bosnian- Croatian and American Whites. These results suggest that considerable variation exists among populations that might normally be considered similar. Discriminant functions are presented to allocate Bosnian and Croatian crania to help in the identification of commingled remains as well as population specific stature prediction equations to aid in present-day identifications.