Anthro Exam 2 - Population Affinity (Ancestry) Estimation

How close you are to something

What is Race? Does Race Exist?

There are:

• Social/Cultural Race

• Social/Cultural Ethnicity

• Biological Population Affinity

What is Biological Population Affinity (Ancestry)?

Defined based on the preponderance (high number) of metric (what you do measure) and non - metric (what you don’t measure) skeletal traits which are distributed along broad geographic population lines.

What are the problems associated with Biological Population Affinity (Ancestry)?

• Does not reflect the fluid interbreeding patterns of population

• Humans rarely mate within a single group for long

  • incest would have happened

• Globalization - Cultural & Geographic barriers to inter-group mating break down over time

What is Globalization?

Cultural & Geographic barriers to inter-group mating break down over time

How are Forensic Anthropologists applied Anthropologists?

• Interact with lay persons (witnesses, family, friends); within a social context

• Help establish personal identity

• Narrow down the number of records searched

• Use metric and non-metric analyses

What should you remember about skeletal features?

Some skeletal features are on a continuous spectrum!

• Not ALL features are shared by members of any ancestral group

• Ancestry categories must reflect everyday use in a society

• Vary from country to country, changes as society changes

How does Metric Analysis & FORDISC collab together?

FORDISC analyzes measurement of the remains

• Compares skeleton reference samples to known ancestry

• Computes the likelihood of the skeleton belonging to a particular ancestral population

How does Non-Metric work?

Considers the preponderance of data (NEVER USE ONLY ONE OR TWO TRAITS)

• remember: population changes ALL THE TIME)

Can you use only one or two traits for Non-Metric Analysis to work?

No

Does population change all the time?

Yes

What are the Pro’s of Non-Metric Analysis?

• Gross observation, economical

• Could be done on bone fragment (does not require a full skeleton)

• Sex does not need to be known

What are the Con’s of Non-Metric Analysis?

• Inter (between two or more people) - observer error (Heavily based on experience)

• Not clearly defined

  • Possible intra (within the same person) - observer error

• Rudimentary statistics (no number involved)

What is Non-Metric Analysis in the context of Mid-face is Diagnostic?

How to tell if someone is asian, african, or european based on their skull

What different parts of the face are used for Non-Metric Analysis Mid-face Diagnostic?

• Interorbital Breadth

• Zygomaticomaxillary Suture

• Nasal Aperture

• Nasal Architecture

• Inferior Nasal Aperture

• Post - Bregatic Depression

• Palate Shape (mouth - upper jaw)

• Dental Atributes

What is Inter-orbital Breadth?

How widely apart your eyes are

1. Narrow

2. Intermediate - majority of people

3. Broad

Some people will be more aligned to a specific affiliation

What is the Zygomaticomaxillary Suture?

Zygomatic = Cheekbone

Maxillary = Upper Jaw

1. Angled

2. Smooth

3. Shaped

One of the indicators for population affiliation

What is the Nasal Aperture?

The hole for the nose, formed by the portions of the nasal bones and maxillae

• Long (narrow)

• Medium

• Wide

What is the Nasal Architecture?

The shape of the nose

• Round

• Oval

• Plateau (tented)

• Triangular (steepled)

What is the Inferior Nasal Aperture?

The pear-shaped bony opening of the nose on the human skull

• Guttered

• Incipient gutter

• Straight

• Pariental Sill

• Sill

What is the Post - Bregmatic Depression?

Where the Coronal + Sagittal Sutures intersect

Post = Area behind

• Not Midface

• Dent on top of the head

• Associated with African Ancestry

What is the Palate Shape?

Mouth - Upper Jaw

What are the Dental Attributes in Non-Metric Analysis Mid-face Diagnostic?

Shovel shaped vs Scapula shaped (non - shovel incisors)

• Native American, African, & Asian Affiliation