Estimating osteological sex using predictive geometric morphometric analyses of the greater sciatic notch
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Accurately identifying the biological sex of skeletal remains is crucial in both forensic and archaeological contexts for constructing human biological profiles. Presently, one of the most commonly used methods involves an ordinal scale based on the shape of the greater sciatic notch (GSN). However, this approach is limited by variations influenced by temporal, geographic, and ancestral factors affecting pelvic morphology. Consequently, its applicability is restricted to populations resembling the original reference group. Recent advancements in quantitative analyses offer a promising alternative by enabling detailed measurement of subtle morphological changes, thus enhancing the accuracy of sex identification using skeletal pelvic remains. In this study, we employ a 2D landmark-based geometric morphometric (GMM) protocol to quantify the curve and angle of the GSN. These techniques are applied to both a contemporary population with known sexes and a medieval archaeological population from south-west England. Our analysis reveals that our GMM approach achieves a 90% accuracy rate in modern populations. Results indicate that both GSN morphology and angle are highly indicative of biological sex, allowing confident sex identification in archaeological materials.
Authors: Laura Conner, Allowen Evin, Laura Evis, Catriona McKenzie, Kimberly Plomp, Carly Ameen
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,650
OpenAlex ID: W4402049274