Estimation of Age From the Rib by Phase Analysis an Autopsy Study in Females

Determination of age and sex play a pivotal role in identification of unknown skeletal remains. Age estimation frome the recovered bones has been studied and analyzed by many workers. In the present study the sternal end of fourth ribs were used for determination of age by direct observation. One of the great works on this subject was done by M.Yasar Iscan(1984) on white males. Many studies have confirmed the reliability of this technique on varied samples from different population. Present study is an effort to compare and test the application of the method developed by Yasar Iscan on a female population in the state of Kerala. The study is also compared with author's own work on male population of Kerala. The sample consisted of fourth ribs on right side from 85 females of known age and race. The ribs were assigned to one of nine phases (0 through 8) based on changes noted at the coctochondral junction. Statistical analysis indicated that these changes were age related and applicable to females also.