Back to the Naked Scientific Archaeology and Physical Anthropology Page
Skeletal Element Coding System
John A. Giacobbe
This outline presents a system of coding that I used for the input of osteological observations and data recordings into statistical programs and a database management system, i.e., SYSTAT and Quatro Pro. It is based on a primary three letter code for the individual bones names with subsequent codes which describe a wide variety of information about the specimen in what I hoped to be a brief and mutually exclusive system of description.
This coding system is modelled closely after Tim White's publication of the coding system used in an analysis of excessively mingled human skeletal remains from Mancos, and described in his most excellent book, Prehistoric Cannibalism at Mancos 5MTUMR-2346 (White 1992).
- SIDE:
- L (Left)
- R (Right)
- B (Both where midline present), or
- I (Indeterminate)
- FRAGMENTATION:
- W ( >1/2 bone), or
- F ( <1/2 bone)
see rib and vertebra codes for "A to F" breakdown
ELEMENT: By the code given below, where the specimen consists of multiple elements, it is indicated by a slash (/) between the 3-letter codes. Extrasutural bones and <1.0 cm. attached elements are not entered
- AGE:
- 00
- 02
- 04
- 06
- 08
- 10
- 12
- AD (Adult)
- IM (Immature)
Summary Examples: R F TIB AD means this is a fragment of the right tibia from an adult individual greater than twelve years old; B W OCC/R F PAR 06 means this is an occipital (with midline) attached to a fragment of the right parietal of a six-year old child
- CRANIAL CODES
- FRO Frontal
- PAR Parietal
- OCC Occipital
- TEM Temporal
- MAX Maxilla
- ZYG Zygomatic
- SPH Sphenoid
- NAS Nasal
- ETH Ethmoid
- VOM Vomer
- PAL Palatine
- HYO Hyoid
- INC Inferior Nasal Concha
- MAN Mandible
- CRA Cranial Portions, Multiple Elements
- ICR Indeterminate Cranial
- DUT Deciduous Upper Tooth
- DLT Deciduous Lower Tooth
- PUT Permanent Upper Tooth
- PLT Permanent Lower Tooth
- ITO Indeterminate Tooth
- (+) Other Bones Attached
- POSTCRANIAL CODES
- ATL Atlas
- AXI Axis
- CER Cervical Vertebrae 3+
- THO Thoracic Vertebrae
- LUM Lumbar Vertebrae
- VER Vertebra
- A VER > 1/2 arch only
- B VER > 1/2 body only
- C VER > 1/2 arch and body
- D VER < 1/2 arch and body
- E VER fragment of arch/spine complex (<1/2)
- F VER fragment of body (< 1/2)
- SAC Sacrum
- COC Coccyx
- OCX Os Coxae
- STE Sternum
- R#1 First Rib
- A RIB head, neck, tubercle, >1/2 shaft
- B RIB RIB A without head
- C RIB > 1/2 shaft only
- D RIB < 1/2 shaft only
- E RIB RIB A with < 1/2 shaft
- F RIB RIB E without head
- SCA Scapula
- CLA Clavicle
- HUM Humerus
- ULN Ulna
- RAD Radius
- FEM Femur
- PAT Patella
- TIB Tibia
- IP1 Radius, or Ulna, or Fibula
- IP2 Humerus, or Tibia, or Femur
- IP3 Femur or Tibia
- CAR Carpal
- MC1 to MC5 Metacarpal 1 to 5
- PHP Proximal Hand Phalanx
- IHP Intermediate Hand Phalanx
- THP Terminal Hand Phalanx
- CAL Calcaneus
- TAL Talus
- TAR Other Tarsals
- MT0 to MT5 Metatarsal 1 to 5
- PFP Proximal Foot Phalanx
- IFP Intermediate Foot Phalanx
- TFP Terminal Foot Phalanx
- IP4 Indeterminate Postcranial
- IND Completely Indeterminate