The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of estimating height from length of coronal and sagittal
sutures of the skull for the positive identification of the height in forensic investigations concerned with fragmentary
skeletal remains. The study was conducted on 87 male bodies subjected to medicolegal autopsy in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, South India and the Department of Forensic Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, South India. Length of coronal
suture was measured from left pterion at the junction of sphenoparietal with the sphenofrontal
suture, along the coronal plane, over the coronal
suture to the pterion on the right side. Length of sagittal
suture was measured from bregma along the sagittal plane over the sagittal
suture to the lambda. The data collected were subjected to statistical methods. Significant correlation was found between height and coronal
suture length in males, when compared to sagittal
suture. The correlation coefficient between height and coronal
suture was 0.363. The correlation coefficient between height and sagittal
suture was 0.090. Linear regression equations for stature estimation were derived from coronal
suture length in male population. Coronal
suture length gives more accurate results in estimating stature than sagittal
suture. However, in cases where identification is required by means of only skull, this method could prove useful.