Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1997

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Anthropology

Major Professor

William M. Bass

Committee Members

Murray K. Marks

Abstract

From time to time. Physical Anthropologists are called on to assist in the identification of skeletal remains, This identification usually includes estimates of the sex and racial ancestry of the individual. It has been shown that the pelvis is the most useful site to estimate the an while the skull provide the best indications of a However, the skeletal remains may be fragmented individual's sex person's racial ancestry, or incomplete forcing the Physical Anthropologist to seek other sites on the skeleton for the required information. This study was undertaken to try and identify a new site that might yield the information listed above.

In 1994 Emily Craig produced a study that showed by utilizing a lateral radiograph of the distal femur, one could accurately discern between the femora of Blacks and Whites. The radiograph allows one to use a radiograph feature, known as Blumensaat's Line, to measure the intercondylar notch angle which is what provides the ability to discern between racial groups. This study employs the methodology developed by Craig and applies it to two Native American samples. It was hoped that the intercondylar notch angle would be useful in discerning Native American femora from those Blacks and Whites.

The results of this study show that the intercondylar notch angle for Native Americans is not a viable method for estimating racial ancestry. The mean angle for the Native American samples were found to intermediate to the mean angles of Blacks and Whites.

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