The examination of surviving human bones for information, such as the racial affinities, the blood group, etc. The skeleton's sex will be shown clearly by the pelvis and, with less certainty, by the skull. The age at death will appear from the state of fusion of the long bone epiphyses and skull sutures, and the eruption and wear of the teeth. The bones may show signs of injury or disease (palaeopathology). All this information has greater value when many associated skeletons can be studied as a population rather than as individuals.