Masters Theses

Date of Award

3-1979

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Anthropology

Major Professor

William M. Bass

Committee Members

R. L. Jantz, Fred H. Smith

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a statistical method for determining the race of unknown individuals from measurements on the innominate. Samples of 45 individuals of each sex from skeletal collections of American Blacks, American Whites, and American Indians were used to calculate discriminant functions and classification functions which separated those groups.

Data for this research consisted of 23 measurements from the right innominate of individuals of known race, and known or estimated sex and age. These data were analyzed by a discriminant function program which calculated both discriminant and classification functions, and percent correct classification by race of individuals in the sample. In addition, several descriptive statistics were calculated for each group. A group of test cases of individuals of known race from outside the original sample was used to determine the accuracy of the functions for classifying unknown individuals into correct race categories.

The major findings of the research were that measurements on the innominate, when analyzed by discriminant function, were highly reliable in discriminating between Blacks, Whites, and Arikara. In females, correct racial classification occurred in 93.33% of cases when all 23 measurements were used in the analysis, and in 90.37% of cases when 11 measurements were used. In males, correct racial classification occurred in 87.14% of cases when 23 measurements were included, and in 87.14% of cases when 13 variables were analyzed.

Classification results on a group of 28 test cases were promising. Ten of 13 females classified correctly as to race, and eight out of 15 males were correctly grouped.

Discriminant function analysis can classify individuals from the samples used in calculation into their correct categories with a high degree of accuracy. The accuracy of discriminant functions for the classification of unknown individuals into correct categories is less accurate, although the results indicated that correct classification occurred more often than expected by chance. However, in order to insure the best results, the classification of unknown individuals into racial groups by discriminant function analysis on innominates should be used in combination with other criteria, if possible.

The need for an accurate method of racial determination from postcranial skeletal material is evident because crania are not always present and complete in human identification cases. Statistical methods for race determination in such cases add an objective approach to human identification techniques. When used in combination with other means of race identification, they should enhance the ability to determine an individual's identity from skeletal remains.

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