Craniometry

A) Linear Measurements

i) Measurements on Cranium

1. Maximum Cranial Length (g-op): It is the greatest diameter of the cranium in the mid-
sagittal plane between glabella and opisthocranion.

Landmark(s): Glabella (g) and Opisthocranion (op)

Instrument used: Martin’s Spreading Caliper

2. Glabella-Inion Length (g-i): It is the diameter of the cranium between glabella and inion on
the median line.

Landmark(s): Glabella (g) and Inion (i)

Instrument used: Martin’s Spreading Caliper

3. Maximum Cranial Breadth (eu-eu): It is the greatest transverse diameter of the cranium
between the two euryons.

Landmark(s): Euryon (eu)

Instrument used: Martin’s Spreading Caliper

4. Nasion-Inion Length (n-ns): It is the linear distance between nasion and inion.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Inion (i)

Instrument used: Martin’s Spreading Caliper

5. Bi-auricular Breadth: It is the linear distance between two auriculares.

Landmark(s): Auriculare (au)

Instrument used: Martin’s Spreading Caliper

6. Least Frontal Breadth (ft-ft): It is the linear distance between two frontotemporales.

Landmark(s): Frontotemporale (ft)

Instrument used: Martin’s Spreading Caliper

7. Bi-zygomatic Breadth (zy-zy): It is the linear distance between two zygions.

Landmark(s): Zygion (zy)

Instrument used: Martin’s Spreading Caliper

8. Bi-Maxillary Breadth (zm-zm): It is the linear distance between two zygomaxillares.

Landmark(s): Zygomaxillare (zy)

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

Landmark(s): Maxillofrontale (mf) and Ectoconchion (ect)

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

10. Orbital height: It is the maximum distance between the upper and lower borders of the
orbit at right angle to the orbital breadth line.

Landmark(s): There is no specific landmark

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

11. Nasion-Basion Line (n-ba): It is linear distance between nasion-basion. This measure is
also known as Cranial Base line.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Basion (ba)

Instrument used: Martin’s Spreading Caliper

12. Nasal Length (n-ns): It is the linear distance between nasion and nasospinale.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Nasospinale (ns).

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

13. Nasal breadth: It is the greatest breadth between the lateral margins of the nasal
aperture measured perpendicularly to the median line. No landmark is used.

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

14. Nasion-Prosthion Line or Superior Facial Height (n-pr): It is the linear distance between
nasion and prosthion.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Prosthion (pr)

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

15. Prosthion-Basion Length (pr-ba): It is the linear distance from prosthion to basion. It is
also known as ‘Facial Depth’.

Landmark(s): Prosthion (pr) and Basion (ba).

Instrument used: Martin’s Spreading Caliper

16. Palatal Length (ol-sta): It is the linear distance from orale to staphylion.

Landmark(s): Orale (ol) and Staphylion (sta)

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

17. Palatal Breadth (enm-enm): It is linear distance between the two endomolares, which
gives the greatest breadth of the palate.

Landmark(s): Endomolare (enm)

18. Length of Occipital foramen (ba-o): It is the linear distance between basion and opisthion,
measured on the median line.

Landmark(s): Basion (ba) and Opisthion (o)

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

19. Breadth of Occipital foramen: It is measured as the maximum breadth of the occipital
foramen transverse to the length line i.e. the median line.

Landmark(s): No landmark used

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

20. Basilo-Bregmatic Height (ba-b): It is the linear (vertical) distance from basion to bregma.

Landmark(s): Basion (ba) and Bregma (b)

Instrument used: Martin’s Spreading Caliper

21. Auriculo-Bregmatic Height (po-b): It is the linear (vertical) distance between porion and
bregma.

Landmark(s): Porion (po) and Bregma (b)

Instrument used: Rod Compass

ii) Measurements on Mandible

22. Length of the Mandible: It is the linear distance between the anterior point of the
mandible (pogonion) and the medial point of a line drawn across the posterior surface of the
two gonia.

Landmark(s): Pogonion (pgn)

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper and Needle/ Mandibulometer

23. Bi-Condylar Breadth: It is the linear distance between two lateral most points on the
condyles of the mandibles. No specific landmarks are used

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

24. Bi-Gonial Breadth (go-go): it is the linear distance between two gonions.

Landmark(s): Gonion (go)

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

Reference: Mukherji D., Mukherji D.P. & Bharati P. Laboratory Manual for Biological
Anthropology (2009).
Indices (classification where applicable) : Length-Breadth Index, Length-Height Index,
Length-Auricular Height Index, Breadth-Height Index, Upper Facial Index, Nasal Index,
Orbital Index, Jugo-Frontal Index, Palatal Index, Mandibular Index.
 B) Chord Measurements

1. Frontal chord (n-b): It is the minimum distance between nasion and bregma.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Bregma (b)

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

2. Parietal chord (b-l): It is the minimum distance between bregma and lambda.

Landmark(s): Bregma (b) and Lambda (l)

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

3. Occipital chord (l-o): It is the minimum distance between lambda to opisthion.

Landmark(s): Lambda (l) and Opisthion (o)

Instrument used: Martin’s Sliding Caliper

Reference: Mukherji D., Mukherji D.P. & Bharati P. Laboratory Manual for Biological
Anthropology (2009).

C) Arc Measurements

1. Frontal Arc (n-b): It is the curvilinear distance from nasion to bregma on the mid-sagittal
plane.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Bregma (b)

Instrument used: Inelastic Tape

2. Parietal Arc (b-l): It is the curvilinear distance from bregma to lambda on the mid-sagittal
plane.

Landmark(s): Bregma (b) and Lambda (l)

Instrument used: Inelastic Tape

3. Occipital Arc (l-o): It is the curvilinear distance from lambda to opisthion on the mid-
sagittal plane.

Landmark(s): Lambda (l) and Opisthion (o)

4. Sagittal Cranial Arc (n-b-l-o): It is the curvilinear distance from nasion through bregma
and lambda to opisthion on the mid-sagittal plane.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n), Bregma (b), Lambda (l) and Opisthion (o)

Instrument used: Inelastic Tape

5. Maximum Horizontal Circumference (g-op-g): It is the maximum circumference of the

Landmark(s): Glabella (g) and Opisthcranion (op)

Instrument used: Inelastic Tape

Reference: Mukherji D., Mukherji D.P. & Bharati P. Laboratory Manual for Biological
Anthropology (2009).

D) Angular Measurements

1. Metopic angle: It is the angle that the nasion-metopion line makes with the Frankfurt-
Horizontal (FH) plane.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Metopion (m)

Instrument used: Craniophore, Horizontal Needle with Stand, Spirit Level and Stationary
Tubular Goniometer

2. Facial profile angle: It is the angle formed by the nasion-prosthion line with FH plane.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Prosthion (pr)

Instrument used: Craniophore, Horizontal Needle with Stand, Spirit Level and Stationary
Tubular Goniometer

3. Nasal profile angle: It is the angle that nasion-nasospinale line makes with FH plane.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Nasospinale (ns)

Instrument used: Craniophore, Horizontal Needle with Stand, Spirit Level and Stationary
Tubular Goniometer

4. Profile angle of Nasal roof: It is the angle that the nasion-rhinion line makes with FH
plane.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Rhinion (rhi)

Instrument used: Craniophore, Horizontal Needle with Stand, Spirit Level and Stationary
Tubular Goniometer
5. Alveolar profile angle: It is the angle that nasospinale-prosthion line makes with FH plane.

Landmark(s): Nasospinale (ns) and Prosthion (pr)

6. Frontal angle of Schwalbe: It is the angle that the nasion-metopion line makes with
nasion-inion (n-i) plane.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Metopion (m)

Instrument used: Craniophore, Horizontal Needle with Stand, Spirit Level and Stationary
Tubular Goniometer

7. Bregma angle of Schwalbe: It is the angle that the nasion-bregma line makes with n-i
plane.

Landmark(s): Nasion (n) and Bregma (b)

Instrument used: Craniophore, Horizontal Needle with Stand, Spirit Level and Stationary
Tubular Goniometer

8. Lambda angle of Schwalbe: It is the angle that the lambda-inion line makes with n-i plane.

Landmark(s): Lambda (l) and Inion (i)

Instrument used: Craniophore, Horizontal Needle with Stand, Spirit Level and Stationary
Tubular Goniometer

Reference: Mukherji D., Mukherji D.P. & Bharati P. Laboratory Manual for Biological
Anthropology (2009).