Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2440/107940
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Type: Journal article
Title: Reconstruction of body height from the skeleton: testing a dozen different methods for consistency of their results
Author: Sierp, I.
Henneberg, M.
Citation: Anthropologischer Anzeiger: Bericht uber die biologisch-anthropologische Literatur, 2016; 73(1):7-21
Publisher: E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung
Issue Date: 2016
ISSN: 0003-5548
2363-7099
Statement of
Responsibility: 
Ingrid Sierp, Maciej Henneberg
Abstract: There are a number of methods of physical anthropology available to reconstruct living stature from skeletal remains. Some methods use dimensions of just a few bones, together with regression equations (mathematical, see Table 1: 1-7), while other methods require the whole skeleton and simply add the heights of specific skeletal components (anatomical, see Table 1: 8-11). This study investigates the consistency that mathematical and anatomical methods can provide in the determination of stature from skeletal remains. A significant difference was found between average heights of the same 20 individuals determined from seven mathematical and four anatomical methods (paired t-test, p < 0.001, df = 19). Mathematical methods provided taller height estimates than anatomical methods; the average difference was 47 mm. A repeated measures ANOVA indicated significant differences in the heights determined by all methods (p < 0.0001). Analysis of variance indicated significant differences in the heights determined by various mathematical methods (p < 0.03), whereas there were no significant differences in the heights amongst various anatomical methods (p < 0.77). When simple proportions of the length of the long bones to stature are used for reconstruction (see Table 1: 12), a bias is shown by mathematical methods to overestimate statures of short individuals and underestimate statures of taller individuals. To reduce this bias of linear regressions, we suggest that alternate methods, such as reduced major axis or organic correlation, should be employed (see Table 1: 13-15).
Keywords: Body height; body proportions; bones; reduced major axis; regression
Rights: © E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung
DOI: 10.1127/anthranz/2016/0562
Published version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/anthranz/2016/0562
Appears in Collections:Anthropology & Development Studies publications
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