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5. Accuracy of discriminant models for sex estimation from skeletonized human thoracic vertebrae

Accuracy of discriminant models for sex estimation from skeletonized human thoracic vertebrae

Karapetian M.

Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow; Lomonosov Moscow State University, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Mokhovaya st., 11, Moscow, 125009, Russia

Karapetian Marina, Ph.D., ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1886-8943, e-mail: marishkakar@hotmail.com

Abstract

An osteometric study of thoracic vertebrae belonging to individuals of European ancestry who lived in Russia and North America in 18-20th C. was performed. Three discriminant functions were de-veloped for superior, middle and inferior thoracic vertebrae. The accuracy of sex estimation was 86-90% in the reference sample. The test sample consisted of several individuals randomly excluded from the ref-erence sample as well as skeletal remains of Early Medieval settlers from North Ossetia-Alania and sev-eral other individuals. Testing of the models on this sample gave 89-90% of correctly classified cases. Osteometric sex determination using thoracic vertebrae is possible with approximately the same accuracy as using other parts of the postcranial skeleton. Discriminant models, presented in this study, can be used for sex estimation in cases when sex indicators on the cranium and pelvic bones cannot be recognized.

Keywords

bioarchaeology, osteometry, thoracic vertebrae, sex estimation, discriminant analysis

Цит.: Karapetian M. Accuracy of discriminant models for sex estimation from skeletonized human thoracic vertebrae // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2015; 1/2015; с. 117-122