Comparison of various aspects of
ancient skeletons can be used to determine which
species a skeleton belongs to, or if the differences are vast enough, create a new species. In later skeletons, osteometry has
historically been used to attempt to identify the
ethnicity or
race of skeletons. Aspects commonly studied in determining the species of very early skeletons include the length of the
femur and other long
bones, the capacity of the
skull, the shape of the facial features and skull, the shape of the
jaw and
teeth, the curve of the
spine, the situation and shape of the
pelvis, and the location of the
foramen magnum. ==See also==