Lab Fall 2023 - Part 2

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New York University *

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Anthropology

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Dec 6, 2023

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Biological Profile Lab: Part 2 Forensic Anthropology To complete at home Name____Celeste Cheng_________________________ PLEASE PRINT THIS OUT. YOU WILL TURN IT IN WITH PART 1 OF THE LAB, IN HARD COPY, STAPLED TOGETHER. You can either print this out and write by hand, or type up and then print out. Using your results from the class-time portion of the lab, complete the following questions. The first 6 questions are worth 7 points each, and the final question is worth 8 points (50 points total). IMPORTANT: For these questions you sou should name and reference specific features (see methods docs on Brightspace to reference back to lab) and their appearances/feel. It is not enough to say, for example, that you estimated it was male because you scored it a 3. 1. Station 1, Estimation of Sex (Skull): Answer for Skull B only. What was your estimate of the sex of the individual (female, undetermined, or male)? Discuss the characteristics that you observed that helped you arrive at your conclusion, and conversely, any characteristics that made you question your answer. (1-2 paragraphs) My estimation of sex of the individual of skull B is undetermined. First, the nuchal crest, the external occipital protuberance, is kind of neutral, which is not robust and pronounced, but also not gracile and smooth with no real bump coming out. It is in the middle of the characteristics of female and male which around the standard score 3. Second, the mastoid process of skull B tends to be smaller and shallower which around the standard score 2. Third, the supraorbital margin, the very top ridge of the eye orbit, it tends to be sharp and thinner towards female characteristics. Fourth, the supraorbital ridge is nearly flat which around the standard score 2. Fifth, the mental eminence is gracile and not noticeable of a bump, so we determine it as standard score 2. Therefore, all the standard scores are about in the middle, indicating the sex to be undetermined. Conversely, except nuchal crest, other features I mentioned above tend to be more gracile towards female instead of undetermined.

2. Station 2, Estimation of Sex (Os Coxae) : For the os coxae that you analyzed, what was your estimate of the sex of the individual (female, undetermined, or male)? Discuss the characteristics that you observed that helped you arrive at your conclusion, and conversely, any characteristics that made you question your answer. You should reference specific features (see methods docs on Brightspace to reference back to lab) and their appearances/feel. (1 paragraph each) Os Coxae A: My estimation of the sex is male. First, there is not obvious ventral arc exists which is a characteristic for male. Second, the medial ischiopubic ramus is more robust and wider. Third, the sciatic notch is narrow. Conversely, the supubic concavity is in the middle of female and male characteristic. It is not as straight as males and goes up parallel to each other; mealwhile, there is also not so concave to have a big open area. This characteristics made me question my estimation of the sex since it not clearly indicates to male. Os Coxae B: My estimation of the sex is female. First, there is an obvious ventral arc exist. Second, the subpubic concavity indicate to female since it flares enough for an open space. Thrid, the medial ischiopubic ramus is thinner and sharper. Conversely, the sciatic notch tends to be a little bit narrow, but not too much, which is controversial to our estimation of sex.

3. Stations 1 & 2, Estimations of Sex: Imagine that you have excavated and exhumed the bones from Stations 1 and 2 from the same grave. Could you definitively say that Skull B belonged to either Os Coxae A or B? Conversely, could you say definitively that they were bones that belonged to different individuals? Explain why based on your lab results. Be specific. (1 paragraph) I cannot definitively say whether Skull B belonged to either Os Coxae A or Os Coxae B, nor can I definitively say whether they belonged to different individuals. The sex estimate for Skull B is undetermined. This means that the sex of the individual represented by Skull B is not clearly male or female based on the characteristics observed. Without a clear sex determination for Skull B, I cannot definitively conclude whether Skull B belonged to either of the Os Coxae or if they are from different individuals. Os Coxae A is estimated to be male, and Os Coxae B is estimated to be female. This implies that Os Coxae A represents a male individual, and Os Coxae B represents a female individual based on the characteristics observed. The sex indeterminacy of Skull B introduces ambiguity, making it impossible to match it with confidence to either a male or female Os Coxae. Additionally, there is a possibility that Skull B and the Os Coxaes represent different individuals, but without more conclusive evidence, I cannot make a definitive assertion regarding their association. 4. Station 3, Estimation of Age-at-death, Pubic Symphysis : For the individual that you analyzed, what “Suchey-Brooks” phase (see document on Brightspace) would you estimate that the pubic symphysis was in? What was your estimate of the age- at-death? Discuss the characteristics that you observed that helped you arrive at your conclusion, and conversely, any characteristics that made you question your answer. (1-2 paragraphs) I estimate that the pubic symphysis was in the early phase 5, which age-at-death is ranged from 27 to 66. The symphyseal face is almost completely rimmed with some

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slight depression of the face itself, relative to the rim. There is no ridges and furrows. Moderate lipping is found on the dorsal border with more prominent ligamentous outgrowths on the ventral border. There is extra bony growth around the edges. There is little rim erosion. Breakdown occur on the superior ventral border. Conversely, the oval outline is not that clear between late phase 4 and early phase 5 since it shows a small hiatus exist on in the upper ventral rim with a completed oval outline. 5. Station 4, Estimation of Stature: Use the measurements you took in Station 4 to calculate the estimated stature of the individual using the Raxter method. You will estimate the Living Stature (LS) of the individual from the Skeletal Height (SKH), where SKH = total measurements that you took from the skeleton in the lab, in centimeters (cm). These equations take into account for approximate soft tissue measurements that correlate with (and are added on to) the total skeletal height. Remember! • Some of your measurements were in mm and others in cm, so convert accordingly. • You should always have a RANGE for each answer (ie, 170-180cm). So for the equations with Standard Deviations (SD), you need to use the equation listed. For the minimum of the range, subtract the SD, and for the maximum of the range, add the SD. • When you convert your answer into feet and inches, use an online calculator since there are 12 inches per foot (does not divide easily when converting!). Do this at the end once you have your answers in cm . Remember: This final estimate should be one that you could give to criminal investigators who might comparing this postmortem data to antemortem data.

Final Estimate of Living Stature in cm (Raxter et al): _156.715- 165.955________________ Final LS Estimate in inches (Raxter et al): __61.699-65.337__________ 6. Station 4, Estimation of Stature (Albanese et al): Use your measurement of the femur only to calculate the estimated stature of the individual using the regression equation provided by the Albanese et al method. Stature Estimation: Raxter et al Equation Result (Average) SD Estimated Living Stature (Range with 2 SD) Minimum = Average – (2 x SD) Maximum = Average + (2 x SD) (1.009 x 148.3) + 11.7 =161.335 2.31 Min 156.715 cm ( round ) Max 165.955 cm ( round ) Stature Estimation: Albanese et al Sex Regression equation Result (Average) SD Estimated Stature Range with 2 SD Minimum = Average – (2 x SD) Maximum = Average + (2 x SD) Female (41.9 x 2.37) + 57.915 =157.218 3.892 Min 149.434 cm ( round ) Max. 165.002 cm ( round ) Male (41.9 x 2.50) + 55.797 =160.547 4.781 Min 150.985 cm ( round ) Max 170.109 cm ( round )

7. All stations: Use the osteological inventories that you took across all 4 stations; do not include example bones that you may have looked at. If a hiker in the woods came across all the bones that you analyzed in the lab (Stations 1 – 4), what would the minimum number of individuals (MNI) be? (See pages 228 – 230 of textbook; all remains in this lab were adult individuals). Explain your logic as to why. Based on all the bones that we analyzed in the lad through stations 1-4, we founded 4 skulls, 2 ox coaxes, and one for the rest of the human bones such as femur. As we know, MNI is calculated by counting the number of repeated elements. After sorting by element, side, and developmental status, and then taking the highest number as the MNI estimate. Among all the bones we founded, there are 4 distinct skulls, and none of them are repeated. Therefore, the count in this category is 4, which is the highest number. The presence of four skulls suggests that at least four individuals are represented. Since the skulls are distinct and there are no duplicate elements, we can assume that there are four individuals. There are 2 distinct ox coxae, and none are repeated in this category. Since all the other bones are single elements and are not repeated, each one contributes 1 individual to the MNI count. So, the MNI is the highest count in each category, which is 4 for the skulls. Therefore, the minimum number of individuals represented by the bones found by the hiker in the woods is 4. Final Living Stature Estimate using Ablanese et al method Range in cm Range in inches If female individual 149.434-165.002 58.832-64.961 If male individual 150.985-170.109 59.443-66.972 If the sex of the individual is unknown (hint: combine ranges) 149.434-170.109 58.832-66.972

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Lab Fall 2023 - Part 2

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