Anthropometric accuracy and reproducibility in forensic anthropology case work and research

摘要

Estimation of sex along with other parameters of biological profile such as stature, age and ancestry provides vital clue in the identification of the deceased. Estimation of sex thus, is an important exercise in establishing the biological profile of unknown human remains in medico-legal investigations. Sex can be estimated with high levels of accuracy from pelvis, skull, femur and other long bones. Besides, studies have been conducted on sex estimation from other bones of the human body such as clavicle, sternum, patella and hand and foot bones which may help in determination of sex in the absence of other more sexually dimorphic bones of the human skeleton.A recently published research by Akhlaghi et al. is a useful addition to the present literature. The authors have attempted to create the standards for determination of sex by using two anthropo-metric measurements of clavicle in an Iranian population. We wish to congratulate the authors for making a useful contribution to the forensic anthropological knowledge. Author's attempt is praiseworthy and the results open a wider scope for further research into this anthropological topic.