The determination of ancestry is an important part of an individual's identification when creating a biological profile. This thesis scrutinizes postcranial variation using over 65 osteometric sorting measurements in an attempt to identify those measurements that display the most significant differences among Koreans, Africans, and Europeans. Data was collected from four American skeletal collections and one South Korean skeletal collection for a total sample population of 306 individuals: 24 of Korean ancestry, 66 of African ancestry, and 216 of European ancestry. In an effort to minimize the number of measurements needed for ancestral assessment, stepwise discriminant analysis was performed for measurements of each skeletal region and region combinations. Initial findings highly misclassified Africans, so the results of this study were separated into two parts: Koreans from Africans/Europeans and Africans from Europeans. A majority of the functions developed in the first part of the analysis resulted in cross-validated classifications of 80% and greater for Koreans and 77% or greater for Africans/Europeans with the highest classifying function for both ancestral groups being composed of upper limb measurements. Most of the discriminant functions from the second part of the analysis correctly differentiated Africans with 70% or greater accuracy and Europeans with 72% or greater accuracy with the highest classifying function for both groups consisting of pelvis, lower limb, and foot measurements. These functions indicate that ancestry can be determined successfully from postcranial elements; that certain skeletal regions are better indicators of ancestry than others; and that osteological remains do not need to be complete to develop an informative biological profile.

When remains are found in a fragmentary state, skeletal reconstruction aids forensic anthropologists in recreating general traits of the biological profile such as age, sex, ancestry and stature, reveals trauma, and reproduces visual facial likenesses. Previously an ignored area of forensic anthropology, the present study explored the error present when fragmentary skeletal remains are measured and those measurements are applied to statistical programs such as FORDISC 3.1 (Jantz and Ousley 2005) for classification. The study utilized 72 tibiae of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), fragmented into varying states to find the difference in measurements before and after fragmentation. The study found that, while there was a difference in measurements after reconstruction, the difference was on average less than 2 mm for all dimensions of the bone and less than the generally accepted level of interobserver error in osteometrics. On average, the bones decreased in size, partially due to the effects of maceration and drying, and the total change due to fragmentation was considered minimal compared to other sources of error. When applied to FORDISC 3.1 (Jantz and Ousley 2005), this difference in measurements did not result in the misclassification of a previously identified individual. The recommendation therefore is to utilize fragmentary skeletal remains, when an accurate reconstruction can be determined, to maximize the information potential of those remains.

En raison de sa présence récurrente dans les ensembles paléontologiques d’Europe au Pléistocène, l’hyène des cavernes (Crocuta crocuta spelaea GOLDFUSS) est un carnivore particulièrement étudié en taphonomie. Depuis le XIXème siècle, la reconnaissance du rôle joué par les grands prédateurs, et plus particulièrement de l’hyène, dans la formation des assemblages osseux, a permis de dégager les grandes tendances écologiques et évolutives de ces carnivores (habitat en grotte, consommation osseuse, chasse vs. charognage, compétition interspécifique, interaction Homme-Carnivores). L’éthologie de l’hyène tachetée fossile (accumulateur d’ossements, ostéophagie) repose largement sur le développement des travaux écologiques et néo-taphonomiques depuis les années 1970. Le présent travail porte sur un bilan paléontologique et taphonomique des hyénidés modernes et Pléistocènes. Une première partie est consacrée à la présentation synthétique des 3 principaux genres (Crocuta, Hyaena, Parahyaena) et concerne leur systématique, biogéographie et ostéométrie. Ce dernier point permet de confirmer d’une part les fluctuations de masse corporelle des hyènes en relation avec les changements climatiques au cours du Pléistocène et d’autre part la difficulté à évaluer le dimorphisme sexuel à partir des éléments squelettiques crâniens et postcrâniens. Une seconde partie porte sur l’étude de 14 échantillons osseux modernes et fossiles produits par les hyénidés. Six accumulations en contexte de repaires et 3 ensembles de plein-air composent les séries modernes. Elles représentent des contextes écologiques et géographiques distincts (Djibouti et Afrique du Sud) et sont rapportées aux trois espèces d’hyènes (repaires : Crocuta : Dumali (NR Ongulés = 421), Heraide (NR Ongulés = 216), Yangula Ari (NR Ongulés = 133), Oboley (NR Ongulés = 259) ; Hyaena : Datagabou (NR Ongulés = 352) ; Parahyaena : Uniab (NR Ongulés = 568) ; kill-sites de Crocuta : Ali Daba : NR Ongulés = 40 ; Dumali : NR Ongulés = 185 ; Heraide : NR Ongulés = 460). L’analyse taphonomique de ces assemblages permet de caractériser les modifications produites par les hyénidés modernes. Ce modèle est ensuite pris en compte dans l’étude de 5 repaires d’hyène tachetée fossile inédits : Artenac c10 (OIS5c ; NRDT = 1301), Peyre (OIS5e ; NRDT = 2815), Grand Abri aux Puces Réseau Supérieur (100ka ; NRDT = 2360), Fouvent (OIS3 ; NRDT = 3347) et Conives (OIS3 ; NRDT = 1717). Afin de caractériser objectivement la signature taphonomique des hyènes fossiles, deux autres séries, plus anciennes (Pléistocène moyen), ont été brièvement prises en considération (Ceyssaguet (Pachycrocuta brevirostris) et Lunel-Viel 1 (Crocuta spelaea intermedia)) ainsi que deux échantillons osseux produits par d’autres grands Carnivores (le jaguar européen (Panthera onca gombaszoegensis) d’Artenac I et II et le loup (Canis lupus) moderne de Pologne). Les analyses comparées d’ensembles osseux créés par les Hyénidés, Félidés et grands Canidés permettent de reconsidérer les critères de caractérisation couramment utilisés en Taphonomie archéologique. Il apparait que les Carnivores partagent des caractéristiques taphonomiques communes (morphométrie des traces de dents, morphotypes de consommation, distribution squelettique des proies), peu favorables à l’identification spécifique ou/et générique des Carnivores ayant consommés des restes osseux. Le comportement ostéophagique de l’hyène (fossile) se distingue de celui des autres grands prédateurs par : une importante production des éclats diaphysaires d’os longs, la présence récurrente de coprolithes et enfin un nombre élevé d’os et/ou d’éclats ingérés. Parmi ces derniers, le spectre anatomique des éléments régurgités d’une part ainsi que leur degré de dissolution important d’autre part caractérisent significativement les séries paléontologiques produites volontairement par les hyènes. Ces critères pourraient constituer les éléments de diagnose taphonomique les plus intéressants. / (Crocuta crocuta spelaea GOLDFUSS) is a carnivore particularly studied in taphonomy. For the XIXth century, the recognition of the role played by large predators, and more particularly the (cave) hyena, in bone assemblage formation, allowed to precise main ecological and evolutionary trends of these carnivores (cave occupation, consumption of bones, predation vs scavenging, interspecific competition, Humans-Carnivores interaction). The behavior of the fossil spotted hyena (accumulator of bones, osteophagy) is mainly based on the development of the ecological and neotaphonomic works since the 1970s. The present work concerns a paleontological and taphonomic survey of Modern and Pleistocene Hyenids. A first part is dedicated to the synthetic presentation of the 3 main genera (Crocuta, Hyaena, Parahyaena) concerning their systematics, biogeography and osteometrics. This last point, particularly developed, allows to confirm on one hand the fluctuations in body mass of hyenas in connection with climate change and on the other hand the difficulty estimating the sexual dimorphism from cranial and postcranial elements. A second part concerns the study of 14 modern and fossil bone samples produced by Hyenids. Modern samples (6 dens and 3 kill-sites) come from different ecological and geographical contexts (Republic of Djibuti, South Africa). Dens are as follows : Crocuta : Dumali (Ungulate NISP = 421), Heraide (Ungulate NISP = 216), Yangula Ari (Ungulate NISP = 133), Oboley (Ungulate NISP = 259) ; Hyaena : Datagabou (Ungulate NISP = 352) ; Parahyaena : Uniab (Ungulate NISP = 568). Kill-sites are as follows : Crocuta : Ali Daba : Ungulate NISP = 40 ; Dumali : Ungulate NISP = 185 ; Heraide : Ungulate NISP = 460). The taphonomic analysis of these bone samples allows to characterize modifications produced by modern Hyenids. This model is then taken into account in the study of 5 unpublished fossil spotted hyena dens of : Artenac c10 (MIS 5c ; Ungulate NISP = 1301), Peyre (MIS 5e ; Ungulate NISP = 2815), Grotte aux Puces, réseau supérieur (100ka ; Ungulate NISP = 2360), Fouvent (MIS 3 ; Ungulate NISP = 3347) and Conives (MIS 3 ; 1717). To characterize objectively the taphonomic signature of fossil hyenas, two other older series (Middle Pleistocene), were briefly considered (Ceyssaguet (Pachycrocuta brevirostris) and Lunel-Viel 1 (Crocuta spelaea intermedia)) as well as two bone samples produced by other large Carnivores (the European jaguar (Panthera onca gombaszoegensis) of Artenac I and II and the modern wolf (Canis lupus) of Poland). Comparisons of those bone assemblages created by Hyenids (modern Crocuta: 139 dens, modern Hyaena: 63 dens; modern Parahyaena: 68 dens ; Crocuta crocuta spelaea: 30 sites), Felidae and large Canids allow to reconsider the criteria of characterization usually used in archaeological Taphonomy. It seems that Carnivores share common taphonomic characteristics (toothmark morphometry, morphotypes of consumption, sketelal parts of preys), and ttherefore those criteria donot appear favorable to a specific or/and generic identification of Carnivores having consumed bones. The (fossil) hyena osteophagic behavior distinguishes itself from that of the other large predators by: an important production of shaft fragments, the recurring presence of coprolithes and finally a high number of ingested bones. Among the latter, the anatomical spectrum of regurgitated elements on one hand as well as their degree of dissolution mattering on the other hand characterizes significantly the paleontological series produced voluntarily by hyenas These criteria could constitute the elements of diagnosis taphonomique the most interesting.