A contribution towards metrical sex determination of cremated and uncremated human bone remains, worked out at the pars petrosa ossis temporalis (author's transl)

Abstract

A new method for sex diagnosis is presented; the uni-, di-, and multivariate analysis of the Pars petrosa, which is a part of the temporal bone. This work was initiated because the Pars petrosa can be found very often among human cremation remains. Two different discriminant functions were worked out, and their comparison shows the great value of considering all the characteristics. Consideration of three measurements can give a sex determination of remarkable accuracy (about 80%). Even the uni- and divariate examinations yield important leads. The last part of this work deals with the possibility of applying the method to cremated bones. The most important point to consider is the shrinking of burnt bones. Appropriate new mean values of the first three measurements and an adapted sectioning point are given. Yet, even without shrinkage-correction the functions possess great reliability in the application on cremated material.