summaryTransverse segments 3–4 cm long were excised post mortem from the radius and from the edentulous mandible in twenty‐four females and twenty‐six males, aged 46–92 years. In order to obtain a value for the density of the minerals in the two different bones, the specific gravities of the specimens were determined by application of Archimedes' principle. Intra‐individually, the specific gravity was found to vary inversely with age (P<0.01). A statistical correlation was also found in this respect between the mandible and the radius in the material as a whole