Study of Identification of Sex of Adult Human Skull by Cranial Circumference

in medicolegal cases bones form the important evidence in establishing the identity of the deceased. Traditionally the skull is most studied bone in physical anthropology.¹ traditional studies by non metric methods were not reliable. So morphometry and stastical methods were introduced. Purpose of this study is to establish standards and to know the reliability of sex determination from cranial circumference.

to measure the cranial circumference of available skulls and to know its sexual dimorphism and to study the utility and limitation of cranial circumference in sexing of skull and to compare with earlier studies. This may be helpful to establish the sex of a person from skeletal remains.

100 Dry human skulls (50 males & 50 females) available in the department of forensic medicine and anatomy M.R medical college, Gulbarga were used for study. Maximum cranial circumference was measured with the help of thread and steel tape. Adult skulls, intact and undamaged were included and while those which were broken or damaged and having ambiguity of sex, were excluded.

mean maximum cranial circumference of male was 497.66 mm and those of female were 483.76mm. The SD for male and female were 13.8 and 17.07 respectively. Percentage of skull identified by I.P alone was 04% of males and 36% of females. The percentage of skull identified by D.P alone was 0% for males and 0% of female.

in present study, significant difference was found in the maximum cranial circumference of male and female skulls. The mean maximum cranial circumference of males is higher than that of females; tht tends to agree with the similar studies conducted earlier. Therefore, estimating maximum cranial circumference of skull is an undisputable criterion for sex determination from skeletal remains. However, single parameter is of not much help in identification of sex of skull. So it is better to consider maximum number of parameters for identification of sex of skull.