What a Skeleton Can Tell Us:

1

• What a Skeleton Can Tell Us
• Age
• Gender
• How?

2
As a person ages

• The cartilage that we are born with ossifies
  (turns into bone)
• The skull changes shape
• Sexual distinctions on the skeletons become more
  apparent in adult than in children
• Bones become less dense from age 30 on

3
(No Transcript)
4
2 1/2 year old child skull
5
5 year old child
6
10 year old child
7
Adult Skull
8
(No Transcript)
9
(No Transcript)
10
Differences Between Males and Females
11
Which pieces of the skeleton are the most
reliable?

• Skull
• Face
• Pelvis / sacrum
• Legs

12
Accuracy of Sex Distinction

• 95 pelvis
• 92 skull
• 90 mandible alone
• 80 long bone measurement

13
Female Skull
14
Male skulls
15
Female pelvis
16
Male pelvis
17
(No Transcript)
18
Male Female
19
(No Transcript)