Sex and Ancestry Estimation from

Landmarks of the Cranial Base

Ashley H. McKeown, PhD

Department of Anthropology
University of Montana

Daniel J. Wescott, PhD

Department of Biological Sciences
Florida International University
 This Study
• Builds on earlier research by Holland (1985, 1986) that
indicated dimensions of the cranial base can be used for
sex and ancestry attribution,

• Hypothesize that sex and ancestry can be more accurately

estimated using the three dimensional morphology of the
cranial base.

• Employs 3-D coordinate data observed on a sample of

American Blacks and Whites of both sexes using geometric
morphometric and traditional statistical methods
 Sample

Bass Donated Collection Terry Collection

Am. Black Am. White Am. Black Am. White

Male 23 48 58 44

Female 6 15 46 36

Totals
Am. Black: 133 Male: 173
Am. White: 143 Female: 103
 Prosthion

4Corners (Staurion))
Posterior palate
Landmarks
Hormion

Basion Mastoid
Mastoid

Foramen Magnum Breadth

Asterion Asterion
Opisthion
 Analytical Methods
• Geometric morphometrics
– General Procrustes Analysis (GPA)
– Visualization of variation across mean
configurations

• Traditional statistical analysis

– Principal component analysis (PCA)
– Canonical discriminant analysis
 Morphological Variation
• Short video clip here of 3d configs
Mean Configs Superior View
Black female
Prosthion Black male
White female
White male

Staurion
Posterior Palate

Hormion
Basion
Mastoid Mastoid
Opisthion

Asterion Asterion
 Mean Configurations - Lateral View

Black female
Prosthion Black male
White female
White male

Posterior
Palate Basion

Asterions

Mastoids
Opisthion
Principal Component Analysis
Eigenvalue Difference Proportion Cumulative

1 0.00152457 0.00051956 0.2514 0.2514

2 0.00100501 0.00026209 0.1658 0.4172
3 0.00074292 0.00019913 0.1225 0.5397
4 0.00054379 0.00019387 0.0897 0.6294
5 0.00034993 0.00006965 0.0577 0.6871
6 0.00028028 0.00008012 0.0462 0.7333
7 0.00020015 0.0000137 0.033 0.7664
8 0.00018645 0.00002141 0.0308 0.7971
9 0.00016505 0.00003165 0.0272 0.8243
10 0.00013339 0.00001528 0.022 0.8463
11 0.00011811 0.00001949 0.0195 0.8658
12 0.00009862 0.00000187 0.0163 0.8821
13 0.00009675 0.00000821 0.016 0.898
 Principal Components 1 & 2
Inferior prosthion 0.15
Lateral asterions

BF BM

WF WM
0.1

0.05

0
-0.1 -0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15
Inferior prosthion
Lateral asterions

-0.05
Posterior prosthion
Inferior prosthion
Inferior foramen magnum
Superior foramen magnum
Superior asterions and mastoid
Inferior asterions and
-0.1 mastoid
 PC 1 & 2 by Sex
0.2

female

0.15 male

0.1

0.05

0
-0.15 -0.1 -0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15

-0.05

-0.1

-0.15
 PC 1 & 2 by Ancestry
0.15

American Black American White

0.1

0.05

0
-0.1 -0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15

-0.05

-0.1
 Sex without Size
Total Canonical Structure
Variable Can1
From Classified Into
Prin1 -0.23063 F M Total
Prin2 0.03735
Prin3 0.20421 F 77 26 103
Prin4 0.56313 74.76% 25.24%
Prin5 -0.08557
Prin6 -0.27466
M 50 123 173
Prin7 -0.00307
Prin8 0.43311
28.90% 71.10%
Prin9 -0.47509
Prin10 -0.14781 Total correct: 72.93%
Prin11 0.00417
Prin12 0.25432
Prin13 0.06321
 Sex with Size
Total Canonical Structure
Variable Can1

scale 0.891052 From Classified Into

Prin1 -0.173413 F M Total
Prin2 0.028087
Prin3 0.153550 F 92 11 103
Prin4 0.423433 89.32% 10.68%
Prin5 -0.064343
Prin6 -0.206523 M 31 142 173
Prin7 -0.002311
17.92% 82.08%
Prin8 0.325663
Prin9 -0.357233
Prin10 -0.111145 Total correct: 85.7%
Prin11 0.003139
Prin12 0.191231
Prin13 0.047527
 Ancestry without Size
Total Canonical Structure
Variable Can1 From Classified Into
Prin1 0.753177 B W Total
Prin2 0.496207
Prin3 -0.177692 B 113 20 133
Prin4 0.116819 84.96% 15.04%
Prin5 -0.150740
Prin6 -0.179825 W 21 122 143
Prin7 0.077878 14.69% 85.31%
Prin8 0.040942
Prin9 -0.153790
Prin10 0.180827 Total correct: 85.14%
Prin11 0.011318
Prin12 -0.122043
Prin13 0.084316
 Ancestry with Size
Total Canonical Structure
Variable Can1
From Classified Into
scale -0.237807
B W Total
Prin1 0.753098
Prin2 0.496154
Prin3 -0.177673 B 112 21 133
Prin4 0.116807 84.21% 15.79%
Prin5 -0.150724
Prin6 -0.179806
W 21 122 143
Prin7 0.077870
Prin8 0.040938
14.69% 85.31%
Prin9 -0.153774
Prin10 0.180808
Prin11 0.011317
Total correct: 84.76%
Prin12 -0.122030
Prin13 0.084307
 Conclusions
• Sex and ancestry can be classified with greater
than 85 percent accuracy

• Shape is the critical component for ancestry

estimation

• Size and shape required for accurate sex

estimation