Name____________ Partners______________             Date__________

Anthropometry Lab: RECONSTRUCTION OF STATURE

Suppose the only bone found at a suspicious burial is that of a femur. Using the mathematical Trotter Formula, you should be able to reconstruct stature. That is you could estimate the height of the unidentified individual. Different formulae are provided for males and females, so you must first assign a sex to these individuals. Remember to take the measurements in centimeters.

Trotter Formula of Estimating Stature from Femur Length:

MALE STATURE (cm) ± 3.417 = 2.59 X (femur length) + 66.397

FEMALE STATURE (cm) ± 3.816 = 2.59 X (femur length) + 49.742

Procedure:

1.      Since we do not know the sex of the individual (you would need the pelvis and sacrum bones) you will make an estimate for each sex.

2.      Measure the length of your friend’s femur (from hip joint to knee) in centimeters. Record.

3.      Measure your friend’s actual height in centimeters. Record.

4.      Calculate the estimated height of your friends based on the Trotter Formulas.

5.      Walk around the room and find measurements for other students (Male-Part A data)(Female-Part B data), record their measurements. (You should end up with a total of 8 females and 8 males).

6.      Measure the length of the Unknown individual’s femur.( Record in Part C data)

Analysis:

1.You will create 2 different graphs with  the data, one for Males and one for females. You will plot femur length (x-axis ) versus calculated statue (y-axis). Draw a straight line through the points.

2. Find the unknown individual’s femur length on the line. Read the estimated statue from both graphs.

Conclusion Question:

1.)   Identify 2 variables could have an affect on the stature of the individual that cannot be accounted for in the basic calculation?

2.)  If the unidentified individual is a male, using the graphs , what do you estimate his stature to be in centimeters? In inches? In feet?

3.)   If the unidentified individual is a female, using the graphs, what do you estimate her stature to be? In inches? In feet?

4.)   Calculate the unidentified individual’s stature using the Trotter Formula. If female? If Male?

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