In this thesis, stature reconstruction of three
prehistoric/protohistoric Native American populations
(from Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, and South Dakota)
was performed using the Fully Anatomical method in order
to formulate regression equations and analyze the
ability of regression equations of other researchers to
accurately estimate the statures within my study
populations. The calculation of regression equations
demonstrated that even though there was a significant
difference in the statures of the three populations,
they were similar enough in body proportions such that
regression equations from the pooled sample could be
used to accurately estimate statures from all three
groups as well as 12 randomly chosen individuals from
outside the study sample.
Results of statures calculated using the regression
formulae of other researchers on my sample populations
forced me to conclude that there is too much variation
between populations to allow for much inter-populational
applicability except in those cases where the
populations are similar enough in proportion. For my
study groups, the best equations for estimating statures
(besides the ones formulated specifically for them) were
those of Sciulli et al. for Ohio native Americans,
followed closely by Trotter and Gleser's 1952 and 1958
equations. The femur/stature ratio of Feldesman et al
(1990) performed relatively poorly, and the formulae of
Genoves' for Mesoamericans (1967) were the least
accurate.
While individual statures may be more highly
influenced by genes, the mean statures of populations or
homogeneous geographical groups is more controlled by
common levels of nutrition, stress, and environment of
the individuals within that group. The Arikara were the
tallest population: the female mean of that group were
as tall as the male means from both the Alaskan and
Aleutian populations. The populations in this study
differed in their degree of sexual dimorphism, with the
Arikara individuals showing the greatest stature
difference and dimorphism between males and females. The
distal limb bones of the arms and the legs of the individuals from both Alaska and the Aleutian Islands
show significant shortening when compared to those of
the Arikara, supporting "biogeographical" rules of human
adaptations to chronically cold environments.
The results of this study illustrate how important
it is for researchers to keep studying (and publishing
regression equations for) statures of prehistoric and
historic populations. Until someone develops a formulae
that can truly be applied to populations everywhere-as
the femur/stature ratio and the line of organic
correlation attempted to-there is too much variation
between groups to allow researchers to continue to apply
equations not applicable to their population. / Graduation date: 2002
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/28449 |
| Date | 26 November 2001 |
| Creators | McCarthy, Donna |
| Contributors | Hall, Roberta L. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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