Estimation of stature using fragmentary femora in indigenous South Africans

Intact long bones of the upper and lower extremities have been used in the derivation of regression equations for the estimation of stature in different population groups. These bones are sometimes presented to forensic anthropologists in different states of fragmentation thereby making the derived equations unusable. This has necessitated the need to assess the usefulness of measurements of fragments of long bones (e.g., femur) in the estimation of stature. While few studies have reported such equations, which are population and sex specific, it was the aim of this study to derive equations based on measurements of commonly preserved fragments of the femur for the indigenous South African population group. A total of 100 complete skeletons, equally distributed by sex, were obtained from the Raymond A. Dart collection of human skeletons. Stature was estimated for each of the skeleton using the Fully's method (Fully in Ann Med Leg 35:266-273, 1956). Regression equation for the estimation of stature and maximum length of the femur were derived from six measurements of the femur. The standard error of estimate for regression equations for stature estimation (3.72-4.38) was slightly higher than that presented for intact femur. This study confirms the usefulness of fragments of the femur of indigenous South Africans in the estimation of stature.