I couldn't agree more, I believe that that measurement is of little use. As
Haskel pointed out it is much better to measure the maximum length and width of
the crown (which normally, particularly for the width, coincides with the
cervical measurement). This, of course, leads to the problem that, unless you
break the mandible, most teeth in jaws will not be measurable as the point of
max lengths and width will be within the jaw. An interesting article to read in
this respect is:
Beasley, M. Brown, W. & Legge, A. 1993. Metrical discrimination between
mandibular first and second molars in domestic cattle. Int. J of
Osteoarchaeology 3, 303-14.
(no, I don't have a pdf of it)
Cheers,
Umberto
--
Umberto Albarella
Department of Archaeology
University of Sheffield
Northgate House
West Street
Sheffield S1 4ET
United Kingdom
Telephone: (+) 44 (0) 114 22 22 943
Fax: (+) 44 (0) 114 27 22 563
http://www.shef.ac.uk/archaeology/staff/albarella.html
For Archaeologists for Global Justice (AGJ) see:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/archaeology/global-justice.html
"There is no way to peace. Peace IS the way".
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