38 Sex Estimation of the Non-Pelvic Postcranial Bones

Sex estimation of the non-pelvic postcranial bones can be very difficult, based on research with accuracy well below 90%. Keep this in mind when employing sex estimation on these bones. However, if observing several of the bones of a single individual you will greatly increase your sex estimation accuracy. Those listed below offer the highest levels of accuracy.

Humerus

A vertical (superior/inferior) measurement of the head, and a transverse (anterior/posterior) measurement of the head can be used in sexing.

Vertical Transverse
Female 42.67 36.98
Male 48.76 44.66

Femur

A measurement of the greatest diameter of the femoral head may be useful in determining sex. Keep in mind there may be populational differences.

Female Probable Female
White Female[1] <42.5 42.5-43.5
Black Female[2] 41.52
Male Probable Male
White Male[3] >47.5 46.5-47.5
Black Male[4] 47.17
  1. Stewart 1979:120 ↵
  2. Thieme 1957: Table 1 ↵
  3. Stewart 1979:120 ↵
  4. Thieme 1957: Table 1 ↵

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Introduction to Human Osteology Copyright © 2010 by Roberta Hall; Kenneth Beals; Holm Neumann; Georg Neumann; and Gwyn Madden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book