Anthropology - Skulls

Can you see the similarities and differences?

European skull African Skull

Are these male or female?List differences due to race

European skull African Skull

These are male skulls- notice the square, robust chins and the square orbitals. Also notice the chin cleft and prominent saggital crest/brows.

Race differences – notice the tear drop nasal cavity in the European and the more rounded cavity of the African. Also notice the prominent nasal spine in the European.

What other characteristic would be helpful but is hard to see at this angle?

List the race differencesAre these male or female skulls?

Asian skull European skull

These are female skulls!

Asian• Nasal spine that is

somewhat prominent• Rounded nasal

ridge/guttering• Prominent cheek bones

European• Very prominent nasal spine• Sharp nasal ridge/guttering• Less prominent

Gender differences – list all the characteristics that could help you identify gender

Female skull Male Skull

ANSWERS!

Female• More rounded orbitals• Less Robust chin, round• No chin cleft• Less prominent brows

Go back a slide to the pictures – what race are these skulls?

Male• More square• More robust, square• More likely to have cleft• More prominent brows

They are both the skulls of Europeans or Caucasoid!

Female skull Male Skull

Look carefully – can you determine the race and gender of these skulls?

Hmmmmmm Hmmmmmmm

Are you right?

Male African/Negroid Female Asian/Mongoloid

Children – notice the differences

Child 16 -18 months Child 3 to 4 years

Growth

• It takes time for the bony plates in the skull to come together at the joints and take on the “typical” shape of a human skull

• Even when born, the joints in the skull are not fully fused, nor is the skull fully ossified.

• ---------------> “Soft spot”

What other bones (besides the skull) can be used to determine

gender?• Pelvis

• humerus

• femur

Explain what you measure or look for

• Pelvis - Pubic angle > 90 = femalePubic angle < 90 = male

• Humerus - maximum length & Diameter of the head

• Femur - maximum length & Diameter of head

What other bones can you use to determine race?

• Femur!Test to see if fingersfit under the curvatureof the femur

How did you do?

• Are you able to identify gender and race using the skull, pelvis, femur and humerus?

• Practice, practice, practice!

References

• All the pictures of skulls were provided by

Bones Clones “Human Skulls”, March 10, 2009http://www.boneclones.com/human-skulls.htm