Discriminant functions were developed using long-bone robusticity
measurements of 82 individuals from the protohistoric Maya site
of Tipu, Belize. All individuals were sexed using nonmetric
morphological indicators, particularly those of the pelvis.
These functions are designed to provide a means of determining
the sex of fragmentary prehistoric Maya skeletons. The equations
ranged in accuracy from 77.5% to 100%. The reliability of these
equations was tested using a jackknife method on the Tipu sample
and by applying the equations to small samples of prehistoric
skeletons from the sites of Seibal, KOB Swamp, Laguna de On,
and Chau Hiix. The vast majority of the equations applied to
the test cases succeeded in correctly estimating the sex based
on pelvic and cranial features. A more reliable technique for
sex determination of poorly preserved skeletal remains will
allow a whole new range of archaeological and bioanthropological
hypotheses concerning sex and gender among the ancient Maya
to be investigated and considered.