CRANIOMETRY2

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CRANIOMETRY

Craniometry is a technique used to measure skull and determine human nature.

While Phrenology is the study of character and personality and physiognomy is the study offacial features, Craniometry technique difference from the former studies as it is a technique

that involves the measurement of bones of the skull. It claims to be able to predict the

intelligence and nature of human being. Craniometry was practised a lot in 19Th century

and first part of 20Th century.

Image source

Georges Vacher de Lapouge became responsible for introducing the trend of dividing

human beings into different races from Aryans to Ancient Greek and coming up with new

conclusions based on the measurement of skull. After six years another pioneer ofCraniometry came up with facial angle a measure that can be used to determine

intelligence among different species.

According to the facial angle technique two lines were determined- one from nostril to the

earn and the other from the advanced part of the upper jawbone to the forehead. Pieter

Camper explanation concludes that angle of 80 degree for Europeans, 70 for black people

etc.
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Image source

In modern times Craniometry is used to derive data that can be used to compare animal

species and to study the evolution of human species in archeology.
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primates. The correlations among the different parts of the skull can beestablished through Craniometry , and such the missing portions of a skull

can be reconstructed . Moreover a skull can be reconstructed from theavailable measurements of the skull even if it destroyed or lost.

INSTRUMENTS

Spreading Caliper (of Martin):The spreading caliper consists of two long arms, the upper half of which

are curved outwards, while the ends of the other half are screwed together

in such a manner so that the free parts of the arms can be moved freely.One end of a straight scale is fixed at the middle of one the arms keeping

the other end free. The scale passes through asocket fixed on the otherarm. The free ends of the two long arms are provided either with small

knob- like structures or with pointed ends. The first type is used for

takingmeasurements on the body, while the second type is used formeasurements on the skeleton. The scale is graduated proportionately to the

distances between the two freeends of curved arms. This instrument is usedfor taking such measurements on head, face, etc., wherecurved areas are

involved.The spreading calipers are of two sizes. The larger one is called

Pelvimeter, which iscommonly used for taking measurements on the pelvicregion.

Sliding Caliper (of Martin):

The sliding caliper consists of a long straight scale graduated on both

the sides and twocross bars. One of the crossbars is fixed at one end of the

scale, while the other parallelto the first one can be slided over the scalewith the help of a socket provided with ascrew to be used to fix the socket at

any place. Each crossbar has two ends, of whichone is blunt, and the otheris sharp and pointed. The blunt and the sharp ends are usedfor taking

measurements on the body and the respectively.The scale is graduatedstarting from the fixed end upto 200 mm. Again, from the free end also it is

graduated upto 50 mm. The second graduation is used while taking

certaindepth measurements, when the movable socket is fitted on the scalein the reverseorder.

Measurements of the Cranium


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1.) Maximum Cranial Length (g-op): The straight distance from

the glabella to the opisthocranion. Glabella (g) is the most prominent

point between the two superaorbital ridges above the fronto-nasal suture inthe mid-sagittal plane. Opisthocranion (op) is the most posterior pointfrom the glabella in the mid-sagittal plane, excluding the inion.

Instrument used: Spreading Caliper.

2.) Maximum Cranial Breadth (eu-eu): The straight distance between

the two euryon points. Euryon (eu) is the most lateral point on the skull,which can only be determained by measuring the maximum cranial breadth,

as it is variable. Instrument used: Spreading Caliper.

3.)Basion-Bregma or Basilo-Bregmatic Height (ba-b): The straightdistance from the basion to bregma. Basion (ba) is the lowest point on the

external surface of the anterior margin of foramen magnum in the mid-sagittal plane. Bregma (b) is the meeting point of the sagittal and coronal

sutures.

Instrument used: Sliding Caliper.

4.)Upper Facial Height (n-pr): The straight distance from the nasion (n)to prosthion (pr). Nasion (n) is the meeting point of the fronto-nasal and

inter-nasal sutures. If this junction is not in the mid-sagittal plane, then the

mid-sagittal plane of the fronto-nasal suture is taken as thenasion. Prosthion (pr) is the lowest point of the intermaxillary suture on

the alveolar border between the two middle incisors.Instrument used: Sliding Caliper.

5.)Nasal Breadth (al-al): The maximum breadth between the two lateral

margins of the nasal apertures.Instrument used: Sliding Caliper.

6.)Nasal Height (n-ns): The straight distance from

the nasion to nasospinale. Nasospinale (ns) is the point where a line

touching the lower margin of the nasal aperture crosses the mid-sagittalplane


7.) Bizygometic Breadth (zy-zy): The straight distance from

one zygion to the other. Zygion (zy) is the most lateral point of thezygomatic arch.



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Indices

As in the case of head of a person, in the case of the skull also manyindices can be calculated obtain the relationship between two absolutemeasurements. Here, however mention of a few important indices with their

respective formulae and classification will be made.

1.Cranial Index

Max. Cranial Breadth x 100 / Max. Cranial Length

Classes Ranges (According to Garson)

Ultradolichocranial -64.9

Hyperdolichocranial 65.0 69.9

Dolichocraniual 70.0 74.9

Mesocranial 75.0 79.9

Brachycranial 80.0 84.9

Hyperbrachycranial 85.0 89.9

Ultrabrachycranial 90.0 +

2.) Length- Height Cranial Index or Vertical Index

Basion Bregma Height x 100 / Max. Carnial Length

Classes Ranges(according to Martin and Saller)

Chamaecrianial - 69.9

Orthocranial 70.0 74.9

Hypsicranial 75.0 +

3.) Breadth Height Carnial Index or Transverse Vertical Index

Basion Bregma Height x 100 / Max. Cranial Breadth


Tapeinocranial -91.9

Metriocranial 92.0 97.9


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Acrocranial 98.0 +

4.) Upper Facial Index

Upper Facial Height x 100 / Bizygomatic Breadth


Hypereuryne -44.9

Euryene 45.0 49.9

Mesene 50.0 54.9

Lepetene 55.0 59.9

Hyperieptene 60.0 +

5.) Nasal Index

Upper Facial Height x 100 / Bizygomatic Breadth


Hypereuryne -44.9

Euryene 45.0 49.9

Mesene 50.0 54.9

Lepetene 55.0 59.9

Hyperieptene 60.0 +Copyright @ 2011 Under the NME ICT initiative of MHRD

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CRANIOMETRY2