Estimation of stature from facial measurements in northwest Indians
Introduction
Forensic anthropology deals with the identification of unrecognizable human remains usually in skeletal form by determination of age, sex, race and stature. Stature or body height is one of the primary and useful tool used in personal identification. Estimation of stature from various body parts like extremities is well documented in other countries [1], [2], [3] as well as in India [4], [5], [6], [7].
However, it becomes difficult when only a bare skull is available for identification purposes and one has to estimate the stature of the deceased. Search of the available literature shows that some authors have given mathematical formulae to determine stature from cranial diameters [8] while others have formulated regression equations from somatometry of the skulls [9], [10]. More recently, applicability of regression equations generated from the cephalo-facial measurements for stature estimation has been greatly emphasized [11], [12], [13], [14], [15].
These equations are both population and sex specific, hence, the present study has been undertaken to investigate the usefulness of facial measurements in estimation of adult stature and to compare the reliability of stature estimation by multiplication factor, and regression analysis.
Section snippets
Materials and methods
Data for the present study consisted of 300 adults (173 males, 127 females) belonging to Chandigarh zone of Northwest India (NWI) in the age group of 18–70 years (mean age 36.30 years). Seven facial measurements along with the stature of the subjects were taken according to standard anthropometric procedures [16]. The measurements taken are defined as follows:
- 1.
Stature/height vertex: It measures the vertical distance from vertex (v) to floor.
- 2.
Total face height (n–gn): It measures the straight
Results
The subjects were classified into six height categories (Table 1) according to Martin’s stature classification [16]. It is seen from this table that the maximum number of males (47.1%) falls in the category of medium (164.0–166.9 cm) and minimum (4.1%) in the category of short stature (150.0–159.9 cm). Similarly, in females, the maximum frequency (81.7%) was observed in the category of tall (159.0–167.9 cm) and minimum (0.8%) in the medium category (153.0–155.9 cm). No male was found in the
Discussion
It becomes very difficult for a forensic scientist/anthropologist when isolated remains of head, face, or skull are brought for forensic examination, as the standards available in this direction are scanty. Therefore, facial measurements act as a useful in the absence of the other evidences for stature estimation. This study seems to be more useful in the case of fragmentary facial remains. With the help of the exact knowledge of how the soft tissue landmarks of face and their thicknesses
Conclusions
Estimation of stature from facial measurements is a supplementary approach when useful samples like extremities or other body parts are not available for examination. Regression equations are found to be more reliable than multiplication factors.
Conflict of interest
Authors have no financial or personal conflict of interest regarding this manuscript.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi and Directorate of Forensic Sciences, New Delhi for financial support. Corresponding author has full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
References (23)
- et al.
Estimation of stature from somatometry of skull
Forensic Sci Int
(1998) - et al.
Skeletal height reconstruction from measurements of the skull in indigenous South Africans
Forensic Sci Int
(2007) - et al.
Determination of stature from cephalo-facial dimensions in a North Indian population
Leg Med
(2007) - et al.
The estimation of stature on the basis of measurements of the femur
Forensic Sci Int
(2005) - et al.
Determination of sex by discriminant function analysis and stature by regression analysis: a lateral cephalometric study
Forensic Sci Int
(2005) - et al.
Estimation of stature from dimensions of hands and feet in a north Indian population
J Forensic Leg Med
(2007) Briefly unidentified: a study of peculiar source of identification
J Forensic Sci
(1999)- et al.
Pathologic features of suicidal deaths caused by explosives
Am J Forensic Med Pathol
(2003) - et al.
Estimation of stature from upper extremity
Mil Med
(2006) - et al.
Estimation of stature using percutaneous lengths of radius, ulna and tibia among Lodhas and Mundas of district Midnapore, West Bengal
Anthropologist
(1986)