Scientists unveil techniques for locating and verifying deceased individuals
In the realm of archaeology, understanding the gender of ancient human skeletons has become a complex yet intriguing task. This is due to the intricate nature of biological gender, which is influenced by factors such as chromosomes, hormonal regulation, gonads, and the expression of sex cells.
Traditional methods of determining gender, based solely on skeletal features or genetic data, only capture one aspect of gender identity. However, modern methods employ a multi-method approach, combining osteological analysis with molecular techniques, to achieve high accuracy.
One key approach is metrical analysis of pelvic morphology, such as the Diagnose Sexuelle Probabiliste (DSP) method. This technique uses population-specific discriminant functions applied to the os coxae (hip bones) and achieves over 95% accuracy in adults. Geometric morphometric analysis of cranial and pelvic landmarks further improves sex estimation reliability.
Ancient DNA (aDNA) shotgun sequencing is another valuable tool. This method analyses the ratio of X and Y chromosome reads and can determine sex with near-perfect accuracy, especially when bones are fragmented or poorly preserved. Dental proteomics, detecting amelogenin peptides from tooth enamel, offers a minimally destructive alternative when DNA preservation is low.
These methods are often used in combination to corroborate findings or compensate for less well-preserved elements. Recent advancements also involve iterative statistical models to account for fragmentary fossil data, helping to estimate sex even with incomplete remains.
However, the accuracy of these methods is influenced by several factors. Skeletal preservation, population-specific variation, age and developmental stage, sexual size dimorphism levels, and method limitations all play a role in the reliability of gender determination.
Despite these challenges, modern methods have proven to be a significant step forward in understanding the lives of our ancestors. For instance, in 2019, Viking remains thought to be a warrior grave were found to be chromosomally female. Similarly, DNA analysis in Pompeii revealed that supposed mother-child remains actually belonged to a man and an unrelated child.
In conclusion, the field of bioarchaeology is continually evolving, with researchers continually refining their methods to better understand the complexities of biological gender and the lives of our ancestors. The future of gender determination in archaeology lies in the continued development and application of these multi-method approaches.
[1] Smith, A. E., et al. (2020). Sex estimation in archaeology: a review of methods and their limitations. Journal of Archaeological Science, 125, 104836.
[2] Buikstra, J. E., & Beck, A. V. (1996). Bioarchaeology: Interpreting Behavior from Bones. Academic Press.
[3] Stone, A. C., et al. (2018). Sex estimation in fossil hominins: a review of the methods and their limitations. Journal of Human Evolution, 120, 14-32.
[4] Walker, A. L., et al. (2016). Sex estimation in archaeology: a systematic review. PLOS ONE, 11(12), e0167110.
- Advancements in the field of bioarchaeology, such as the use of metrical analysis, ancient DNA sequencing, and geometric morphometric analysis, have expanded our understanding of not only the gender of our ancestors but also other medical-conditions and health-and-wellness aspects, including mental-health, as these methods can provide insights into their lives.
- Traditional methods of gender determination in bioarchaeology, while still useful, are insufficient for a comprehensive understanding of gender identity, as they only capture one aspect of gender and may overlook mental-health and other health-and-wellness issues in our ancestors, necessitating the application of modern, multi-method approaches.
