Abstract: 28 adult cadavers from north China were studied. The average value of the stature, the total length of sternum, the length of the manubrium sterni, the length of the body of sternum were measured. The coefficients of the correlation between the average length of the sternum and the stature were calculated. The coefficient of correlation between the total length of the sternum, the length of the manubrium sterni, the length of the body of the sternum and the stature are 0. 8630, 0. 7122 and 0. 8395 respectively. It shows that the correlation between them is rather high. But in the males the coefficients of correlation are 0. 7157, 0. 5789 and 0. 5669 respectively; while in the females they are 0. 6111, 0. 5630 and 0. 6122 respectively. Nine regression formulae from the average length of sternum and the stature were computed.
The relationship between stature and total length of sternum reveals a higher coefficient of correlation and a lower standard error of estimation, as comparied to that between stature and length of the manubrium sterni and that between stature and length of the body of the sternum. The reconstruction of stature from the length of the body appears more reliable than that from the length of the manubrium of the sternum.

Key words: Sternum; Stature estimation; Regression formulae