Abstract:
Estimation of sex when investigating subadult skeletal remains is largely problematic because of unreliable and inaccurate
results. Despite the limitations encountered with skeletal material, the medical literature clearly demonstrates differences between males and
females in utero that persist through life. The current study investigates sexual dimorphism in the long bones of the humerus and femur for
individuals between birth and 1 year of age. A radiographic sample amassed from Erie County Medical Examiner’s office includes 85 femoral
and 45 humeral images for analysis in relation to sex. Measurements for lengths and breadths were collected through tpsDig software. Discriminant
analysis proved to be the most successful method, with error rates of 3% when utilizing maximum breadth at midshaft of the femur and
11% with humerus maximum distal breadth. This research demonstrates that it is possible to correctly classify sex of unknown subadult remains
when comparing them to a known sample.
