Sex-related characters in the pelvic bone of domestic sheep (Qvis aries)

Abstract

The os pelvis, in particular the thickness of the symphyses, the caudal angle between the ossa ischiae and the morphology of the os ilium from a collection of sheep with known age and sex has been examined. In ewes the os pubis develops the pecten ossis pubis as the animals become older. In rams and wethers this bone will increase in thickness although in the latter such development will be more moderate than in rams. In females the angle between the ossa ischiae will become larger with age whereas in males it will become smaller. These characters will prove of use in the analysis of sheep remains from archaeological sites.