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Skeletal morphology of the human hand as applied in forensic anthropology
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010.
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| Format: | Thesis |
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University of Pretoria
2013
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| _version_ | 1867613471113216000 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Steyn, Maryna |
| author_browse | Steyn, Maryna |
| author_facet | Steyn, Maryna |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2010 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/28575 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:36:40.309Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/28575 Skeletal morphology of the human hand as applied in forensic anthropology Steyn, Maryna Iscan, M.Y. nnavs@med.up.ac.za Navsa, Nadia Metacarpals of the hand Bones of the human hand Morphology of the hand UCTD Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. The lack of detailed descriptions makes positive identification of individual bones of the human hand difficult. In some instances, labelled photographs and line diagrams depicting a few anatomical features are available in the literature while in other cases, unlabelled photographs and diagrams are provided. Textbooks generally describe each hand bone as having a head, shaft and base. The morphology of metacarpals is more commonly described than that of the phalanges. Thus, identification and siding of hand bones are rare, which excludes them from use in many forensic cases. Forensic anthropological studies also include the determination of demographic characteristics such as stature and sex. Parts of the human skeleton that are accurate predictors in determining stature and sex include the skull, pelvis, femur and tibia. Hand bones are often excluded from such studies due to their relatively small size and poor preservation. The aims of this study were firstly, to provide detailed morphological descriptions of metacarpals and phalangeal bones of the human hand; secondly, to develop regression formulae for stature using the hand bones and thirdly, to develop discriminant function formulae in which the hand bones can be used to determine the sex of an unknown individual. The study comprised 200 sets of hands of South African individuals. The results indicate that there are morphological features of individual bones of the human hand that can be used to identify and side them. Regression formulae have been devised whereby the length of a hand bone can be regressed to that of a long bone, which in turn can then be used to determine stature. The sexing accuracy, using the bones of the hand, is high for males and females. Average accuracies recorded were more than 80% in most cases, and more than 75% in all cases. Analyses of human hand bones can thus add valuable information when assessing skeletons of unknown individuals. Anatomy unrestricted 2013-09-07T13:44:15Z 2010-10-09 2013-09-07T13:44:15Z 2010-09-02 2010-10-09 2010-10-09 Thesis Navsa, N 2010, Skeletal morphology of the human hand as applied in forensic anthropology, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/28575 > D10/680/ag http://hdl.handle.net/2263/28575 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10092010-153424/ © 2010 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Metacarpals of the hand Bones of the human hand Morphology of the hand UCTD Skeletal morphology of the human hand as applied in forensic anthropology |
| title | Skeletal morphology of the human hand as applied in forensic anthropology |
| title_full | Skeletal morphology of the human hand as applied in forensic anthropology |
| title_fullStr | Skeletal morphology of the human hand as applied in forensic anthropology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Skeletal morphology of the human hand as applied in forensic anthropology |
| title_short | Skeletal morphology of the human hand as applied in forensic anthropology |
| title_sort | skeletal morphology of the human hand as applied in forensic anthropology |
| topic | Metacarpals of the hand Bones of the human hand Morphology of the hand UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/28575 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10092010-153424/ |