Estimating sex from the human scapula : a validation study of the five- and two- variable models and FORDISC 3.0 in two white European populations

Abstract

The objectives were to understand the relationship between biological sex and estimated sex from the scapula of two White European populations based on metric analyses of the five- and two-variable models by Dabbs and Moore-Jansen (2010) and FORDISC 3.0 by Jantz and Ousley (2005). This research provided alternative methods for estimating sex from the scapula based on metric analyses of the height, breadth, and calculated area of the glenoid cavity. Three hundred and thirty-five left scapulae from the Athens Collection and the William Bass Collection were measured. The results of the study produced three results: the five- and two-variable models are accurate methods for estimating sex over White European populations, FORDISC 3.0 is an accurate methodology for estimating sex and, the glenoid cavity can be used as an accurate osteometric characteristic for estimating sex from the scapula and the difference in accuracy rates between similar populations groups are not significant.