CT scans and 3D models of reindeer humeri from modern Finnish populations

This dataset contains raw CT scans and derived 3D models of 90 modern reindeer humeri from Finland, including both subspecies present in the region: semi-domesticated mountain reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) and wild forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus). Specimens exhibit a range of lifestyles: free-ranging (wild or semi-domesticated), racing (semi-domesticated trained for racing), zoo (captive), and draught (semi-domesticated used for sled pulling). All specimens originate from the osteological collections of the Biodiversity Unit, University of Oulu (Oulu, Finland), and were collected within the framework of the Domestication in Action project. For each individual, one humerus — either right or left — was scanned individually using a clinical CT scanner and subsequently reconstructed into a 3D model. The Excel file included in the dataset provides detailed specimen information, including ID, subspecies, laterality, sex, castration status, age, lifestyle, and location. This dataset provides high-resolution morphological data suitable for studies on reindeer osteology, functional anatomy, and comparative analyses, including research on domestication processes. These data have been previously used in Pelletier et al. (2020) – Identifying early stages of reindeer domestication in the archaeological record: a 3D morphological investigation on forelimb bones of modern populations from Fennoscandia. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 12:169.