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the most sexually dimorphic trait (86% accuracy) followed by the diameter of the acetabulum
(84% accuracy). For a multivariate discriminant function analysis of all the pelvic measure-
ments, the accuracy for the first function was between 94% and 95.5% (
Patriquin et al., 2005
).
Spradley and Jantz (2011)
report that the highest single variable from the pelvis for sex
estimation accuracy was 85% for the os coxal height and 83% for the ischial length. The multi-
variate discriminant function analysis for the os coxa was between 89% and 90%, which
ranked lower in accuracy rates than a multivariate analysis of the humerus, radius, clavicle,
scapula, femur, tibia, ulna, and cranium (
Spradley and Jantz, 2011
).
One bioarchaeological study used semilandmark data to conduct geometric morpho-
metric analysis to quantify the shape of the greater sciatic notch and ischiopubic region
(
Gonz
´
lez et al., 2007
). The authors compared hunters and gatherers and early farmers
from Argentina and concluded that the shape dimorphism in the pelvis was surprisingly
not consistent between the populations. In a later study by some of the same authors,
discriminant function analysis using the same geometric morphometric variables yielded
success rates for the ischiopubic complex of 93% (
Gonz´lez et al., 2009
).
FEMUR
The Purkait method to estimate sex from the proximal femur was developed on a population
fromIndia (
Purkait, 2005
). The author suggests that themethod is useful for sex estimation from
fragmentary remains and that it may be more reflective of dimorphism due to the functional
adaptations of the femur in response to the sexual dimorphism of body weight (
Purkait,
2005
). This method (shown in
Figure 4.3
) identifies a triangle on the posterior proximal femur
that includes the apex of the lesser trochanter and greater trochanter and the most lateral point
FIGURE 4.3
Purkait method of sex estimation from the proximal femur.
