Stature and body mass estimation from skeletal remains in the European Holocene

• Published in: American journal of physical anthropology Vol. 148; no. 4; pp. 601 - 617
• Main Authors: Ruff, Christopher B., Holt, Brigitte M., Niskanen, Markku, Sladék, Vladimir, Berner, Margit, Garofalo, Evan, Garvin, Heather M., Hora, Martin, Maijanen, Heli, Niinimäki, Sirpa, Salo, Kati, Schuplerová, Eliŝka, Tompkins, Dannielle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.08.2012; Wiley-Liss; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: 20th century; anatomical stature technique; Anthropology, Physical; Anthropology. Demography; Biological and medical sciences; Body Height - physiology; Body Size; Body weight; European Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data; Female; femoral head; Femur - anatomy & histology; Height; Holocene; Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology; Human remains; Humans; long bones; Male; Medical sciences; Mesolithic Age; Models, Statistical; Regression Analysis; Tibia - anatomy & histology; Europe; Human; Femoral head; Anthropometry; Estimation; Body weight; Anthropology; Corporal biometry; Anatomy; anatomical stature technique; long bones; Body size; Holocene; Long bone
• ISSN: 0002-9483; 1096-8644; 2692-7691
• DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22087

Techniques that are currently available for estimating stature and body mass from European skeletal remains are all subject to various limitations. Here, we develop new prediction equations based on large skeletal samples representing much of the continent and temporal periods ranging from the Mesolithic to the 20th century. Anatomical reconstruction of stature is carried out for 501 individuals, and body mass is calculated from estimated stature and biiliac breadth in 1,145 individuals. These data are used to derive stature estimation formulae based on long bone lengths and body mass estimation formulae based on femoral head breadth. Prediction accuracy is superior to that of previously available methods. No systematic geographic or temporal variation in prediction errors is apparent, except in tibial estimation of stature, where northern and southern European formulae are necessary because of the presence of relatively longer tibiae in southern samples. Thus, these equations should bebroadly applicable to European Holocene skeletal samples. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.