[Comparison of variability in wall thickness for sex determination of cremated cadavers]

The amount of information provided by cremations is primarily determined by the general state of preservation. Consequently the possibilities of sex determination by means of morphognostic methods are limited due to a mostly poor representation of fragments which can be of diagnostic value. Therefore an improval of methods has to focus on those skeletal elements that occur in every or almost every batch. These are in particular fragments of the diaphyses and the cranial vault. Wall thicknesses are measured and the values of those individuals that cannot be sexed by conventional methods are compared to an intragroup reference. Following the principle of the morphognostic series about 25% of previously not sexable individuals can now be assigned.