Variations in the shape of foramen magnum in Indian skulls

200 skulls from anthropology museum of GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, U.P., India, were studied to note the variations in the shape of foramen magnum. Foramen magnum was found to be variable in shape: Shapes noted were oval (64%), hexagonal (24.5%), pentagonal (7.5%), irregular (3.5%) and round (0.5%). The findings are hitherto not reported.