Significance of sacral index in estimation of sex in sacra of cadavers in Punjab.

In the identification of sex in human skeletal remains, Sacrum is an important bone for identification of sex in human skeletal system. Since it is a component of axial skeleton and because of its contribution to the pelvic girdle and in turn to the functional differences in the region between the sexes, it has an applied importance in determining sex with the help of measurements carried upon it. Over the years different authors had carried various types of measurements on human sacra of different races and regions. A study for sexing of sacra was carried on 40 sacra (20 male & 20 female sacra) in Punjab. The method used was sacral index. The measuring instrument used was sliding vernier calliper. All the sacra taken were normal. The sacral index of sacra its mean and standard deviations were calculated. Then calculated range (mean ± 3S.D.) and demarking points (DP) of both the parameters and the percentage of bones in which sex could be identified by them was also calculated. The results were compared with the available literature. It was found that D.P of sacral index was very reliable in sexing of sacra.