2 QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR RIB SERIATION IN HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS

Accurate rib sequencing is of importance to both forensic anthropologi sts and human osteologists, but until recently there have been few tra its used to aid in the seriation of ribs within a human burial. This s tudy examines two measurements (head to tubercle length and superior c ostotransverse ligament crest height) for the purpose of aiding rib id entification and seriation in human skeletal remains. A sample of 344 ribs from 43 individuals from the 19th century Anglican Church cemeter y of St. Thomas in Belleville, Ontario were used for the current study . While the head to tubercle length appeared unreliable for rib seriat ion, the superior costotransverse ligament crest height may provide an alternative technique for assessing rib sequence. More importantly th ough, the method provides a basis on which the identification of the c entral ribs can be made.