Yvonne Gerent

Titel der Masterarbeit:
Evaluation of the applicability of sex-determining separation values of the femur and the tibia from various modern skeletal series from Lower Saxony

For the identification of skeletonized human remains in forensic and archaeological contexts sex estimation is fundamental. The pelvis is considered one of the best sources for genderspecific characteristics due to due to the adaptation to pregnancy. Archaeological findings, however, do not always contain complete skeletons. Especially long bones of the lower extremities are often better preserved, as these are less subject to decomposition due to their location. On these bones several distinctive points exist that underlay a sexual dimorphism and can be, therefore, useful for the sex determination of an individual. For this, the measured values have to be compared to literature values.

Particularly, the proximal ends of the femur and the tibia are the most dimorphic regions of these bones and can be, therefore, useful for sex estimation. Since most of the literature values leave a relatively wide range in between as undefined, the consideration would be to define more specific values. Based on this assumption, in my master thesis I will examine how reliable measures from the literature are for sex determination. In this context, also impacts on the expression of sex characteristics have to be discussed. Body size will be used as a prerequisite to assess the robustness of a skeletal series in advance.

The aim of the study will be to osteometrically compare several modern skeletal series from Lower Saxony on the basis of the vertical diameter of the caput femoris and the proximal epiphyseal breadth of the tibia, as these measures are considered reliable for sex determination on mature individuals. Firstly, the applicability of the distinctive values compared to the literature ones will be discussed, whereas secondly, it will be tried to validate and optimize the provided literature values.