Biological Profile

Question 1

visual assessment of sex

Answer 1

examine expression of nonmetric traits, compare with standards

Question 2

metric assessment of sex

Answer 2

take measurements and use formulae or sectioning points

Question 3

male features of the os coxae

Answer 3

• narrow subpubic angle
• narrower greater sciatic notch
• narrow pelvic inlet/outlet
• shorter pubis
• triangular pubic body

Question 4

female features of the os coxae

Answer 4

• wider subpubic angle
• wider greater sciatic notch
• broad pelvic inlet/outlet
• longer pubis
• rectangular pubic body
• ventral arc

Question 5

subpubic angle

Answer 5

left - male - narrow angle
right - female - wide angle

Question 6

pelvic inlet/outlet

Answer 6

male - left - narrow inlet
female - right - broad inlet

Question 7

pubic body shape

Answer 7

male - left - triangular in shape
female - right - rectangular in shape

Question 8

female sacrum divisions

Answer 8

even 1/3

Question 9

male sacrum divisions

Answer 9

wings are 1/4 with the plateau being 1/2

Question 10

FORDISC 3.0

Answer 10

• quantitative description of skull size/shape
• compare with males and females of various ancestral populations
• standardized protocol with statistical evaluation

Question 11

what non-metric methods are used to sex assess the cranium?

Answer 11

• glabella
• supraorbital
• nuchal crest
• mastoids
• mental eminence

Question 12

how is sex assessed in the postcrania?

Answer 12

• size and robusticity vs gracility
• Stewart in the essentials of forensic anthropology
• femoral head maximum diameter and humeral head vertical diameter

Question 13

hyrtl’s law

Answer 13

• manubrium is less than corpus length in men
• manubrium is greater than corpus length in women
• no longer used and in inaccurate

Question 14

how do you assess sex?

Answer 14

• asses for each region
• report whether female, probable female, undetermined, probable male, and male
• buikstra and ubelaker recommended a scale from 1-5

Question 15

how do you estimate age at death?

Answer 15

based on principles of skeletal growth and development, maturation, and degeneration

Question 16

developmental age estimation

Answer 16

• dental eruption
• epiphyseal union

Question 17

degenerative age estimation

Answer 17

• rib joint surface
• pelvic joint surface

Question 18

how accurate is subadult age estimation?

Answer 18

• accurate and precise
• dental development is the most accurate age indicator and is controlled by genetic factors and is developmentally conservative

Question 19

Even Half-witted Archaeologists Know Which Shovel

Answer 19

elbow
hip
ankle
knee
wrist
shoulder

Question 20

elbow fusion

Answer 20

11-13

Question 21

hip fusion

Answer 21

13-15

Question 22

ankle fusion

Answer 22

14-16

Question 23

knee fusion

Answer 23

15-17

Question 24

wrist fusion

Answer 24

16-18

Question 25

shoulder fusion

Answer 25

18-21

Question 26

distal humerus elbow

Answer 26

12-17

Question 27

proximal radius

Answer 27

14-17

Question 28

proximal ulna

Answer 28

13-16

Question 29

proximal hip

Answer 29

14-19

Question 30

distal tibia

Answer 30

15-18

Question 31

distal femur

Answer 31

16-20

Question 32

proximal tibia

Answer 32

15-19

Question 33

distal radius

Answer 33

16-20

Question 34

distal ulna

Answer 34

17-20

Question 35

proximal humerus

Answer 35

16-20

Question 36

cranial suture closure

Answer 36

• from infant to adult sutures start to close
• in older individuals sutures may start to fuse

Question 37

what are the 4 score from Meindl & Lovejoy for suture closure

Answer 37

• 0 = open
• 1 = partial
• 2 = significant
• 3 = obliterated

Question 38

what are degenerative changes used for age estimation in adults?

Answer 38

• osteoarthritis
• osteoporosis
• tooth wear
• tooth loss (edentulism)

Question 39

osteoarthritis

Answer 39

marginal lipping, osteophytes

Question 40

osteoarthritis

Answer 40

tends to be seen in adults over 40

Question 41

adult age estimation

Answer 41

• less accurate with broad age ranges
• degeneration
• metamorphic change
• joint surface
• pelvis

Question 42

cranial suture scores for aging adults

Answer 42

0 = completely open
1 = less than 50% closed
2 = greater than 50% closed
3 = completely closed

Question 43

sternal end of the 4th rib

Answer 43

• sternal ends of ribs change through time with ossification of cartilage
• right 4th rib with population based changes, narrow age ranges
• easily retrieved at autopsy

Question 44

aging the pubic symphysis

Answer 44

• ridges and furrows - more ridges indicates a younger individual
• outline and extremities - full and long outline of the symphysis indicates an older adult
• dorsal lipping - lipping on the outside edges indicates an older adult
• ventral rampart