Estimation of stature in archaeological human skeletal remains from Britain

Abstract

In an archaeological target population, stature estimation equations devised using archaeological reference populations from a similar ecogeographic zone did not perform better than those based on recent populations. There was no indication that either the RMA or OLS approach produced consistently lower SEE and %error, but the former more faithfully represented the variation in anatomically reconstructed stature present in the study group.

The effect of diet and sociopolitical change on physiological stress and behavior in lateRoman‐EarlyByzantine (300–700AD) and Islamic (902–1,235AD) populations from Ibiza, Spain

“…If deficits are severe or sustained enough to prevent catch‐up growth, they result in reduced adult stature, long bone length, and body mass (Mays, Ives, & Brickley, 2009; Saunders, 2008). Variation in stature and bone length has been used extensively to evaluate differences in longitudinal growth reflective of difference in growth stress between populations (Hughes‐Morey, 2016; Lukacs, Pal, & Nelson, 2014; Maat, 2005; Mays, 2016; Mays et al, 2009; Ruff, Garofalo, & Holmes, 2013; Saunders, 2008; Temple, Bazaliiskii, Goriunova, & Weber, 2014). Joint surface dimensions allow reconstruction of body mass, as they undergo functional adaptation to the mechanical load imposed by body mass (Auerbach & Ruff, 2004; Lieberman, Devlin, & Pearson, 2001; Trinkaus, Churchill, & Ruff, 1994).…”

Comparing apples and oranges: Why infant bone collagen may not reflect dietary intake in the same way as dentine collagen

“…In a healthy population, growth and height is primarily determined by genetics, but can also be influenced by the environment, nutrition, and socioeconomic status (Floud, Wachter, & Gregory, ; Hoppa, ; Larsen, ; Mays, ; Sutphen, ). Growth velocity (the rate of change of stature) is considerably greater during the first 6 months of life, before it settles to a gradual increase in height per year (Lejarraga, ).…”

Effects of age and body proportions on stature estimation

“…The hybrid approach has been carried out for a variety of samples, ranging from single populations or closely related populations (Feldesman & Lundy, ; Maijanen & Niskanen, ; Mays, ; Raxter et al, ; Sládek et al, ; Vercellotti, Agnew, Justus, & Sciulli, ) to geographically and temporally more extended samples (Auerbach & Ruff, ; Formicola & Franceschi, ; Ruff et al, ). Regression equations derived from broader samples are potentially advantageous when true population‐specific equations cannot be derived; however, the extent to which they are applicable to specific samples may be uncertain without more information on body proportions within the target samples.…”

“…Regression equations derived from broader samples are potentially advantageous when true population‐specific equations cannot be derived; however, the extent to which they are applicable to specific samples may be uncertain without more information on body proportions within the target samples. Comparisons of linear proportions such as the crural index (tibia/femur length) may give some guidance regarding the appropriateness of formulae derived from broader samples (Auerbach & Ruff, ; Mays, ; Ruff et al, ), but do not test the formulae directly (also see below). Stature estimation equations developed using the hybrid technique for Holocene Europeans (Ruff et al, ) appeared to show little general temporal or geographic bias, except for a distinction between northern and southern regions when the tibia was employed, and they also worked well when applied to an early Medieval Czech sample (Sládek et al, ).…”

“…Stature estimation equations developed using the hybrid technique for Holocene Europeans (Ruff et al, ) appeared to show little general temporal or geographic bias, except for a distinction between northern and southern regions when the tibia was employed, and they also worked well when applied to an early Medieval Czech sample (Sládek et al, ). However, the same formulae worked less well when applied to a British late Medieval sample from Wharram Percy (Mays, ), suggesting the possibility that linear proportions may vary significantly even within relatively similar groups (i.e., Medieval northern Europeans).…”