FACIAL SOFT-TISSUE THICKNESSES IN THE ADULT MALE ZULU

The morphometric method of forensic facial reconstruction rests heavil y on the use of facial soft tissue depth measurements. In reconstructi ng the Negroid face, much use has been made of the tables of soft tiss ue thicknesses of American Negroid cadavers. However, the genetic comp lexities of American blacks are well known. In addition it is felt tha t measurements made on the living are of more value than those made on the dead. In view of this it was decided to set up a table of norms f or facial soft tissue depths of the living Zulu, an African Negroid wh o has remained relatively free from genetic admixture with other popul ations. The tightly controlled sample consisted of 55 healthy male Zul us, aged 20 to 35. Tissue depths at established landmarks were measure d from lateral and oblique cephalometric radiographs. These were then combined with ultrasonic readings at other landmarks on the subject's face to yield a comprehensive set of tissue depth data. This paper pre sents a set of average facial soft tissue depth measurements from the Zulu face that results in the development of a new profile. It also pr ovides a method for linking two systems of measurement.