Practising methods of age determination. Comments on methods combining multiple age indicators
01 Dec 1987-International Journal of Anthropology (Kluwer Academic Publishers)-Vol. 2, Iss: 4, pp 293-299
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compare the performance of the Complex Method of Acsadi and Nemeskeri, statistically elaborated by Sjovold (WEA, 1980), and the Multifactorial Method of Lovejoy et al., 1985a. Comments are given on practical applicability and supposed confidence.
Abstract: For some time, trends in age determination of skeletons have tended to shift from methods using single age indicators to methods combining multiple age indicators. Evidently the latter are expected to offer more balanced age assessments. If one decides to apply a method using multiple age indicators, a choice can be made between two «current» methods, both based on non-metrical age indicators: the socalled Complex Method of Acsadi and Nemeskeri, statistically elaborated by Sjovold (WEA, 1980), and the so-called Multifactorial Method of Lovejoy et al., 1985a. Comments are given on practical applicability and supposed confidence.
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TL;DR: Four morphological methods of adult age at death estimation from the human skeleton as well as a statistical technique for combining multiple age indicators, carried out on personally identified skeletons from a nineteenth century Canadian pioneer cemetery are presented.
Abstract: This study presents the results of blind tests of four morphological methods of adult age at death estimation from the human skeleton as well as a statistical technique for combining multiple age indicators, carried out on personally identified skeletons from a nineteenth century Canadian pioneer cemetery. Sample sizes for the four methods ranged from 27 to 49 individuals. Personal identification of skeletons was based on legible coffin plates checked against complete parish registers available for the entire tenure of the cemetery. All four methods presented disparate problems of application most common of whiQh was increasing bias and inaccuracy with increasing age. Other difficulties include sampling inadequacies and considerable variability inherent in the original standards. The multifactorial aging approach as a means of consolidating age estimates from a variety of methods fared no better than simple averaging of age estimates. The authors recommend the use of a variety of age estimation me...
165 citations
01 Jan 1998
TL;DR: In this article, the problem of age estimation has been approached by many methods developed in the last decades, which illustrates that the existing techniques were always insufficient, and that the weak interdependence between time and many other natural phenomena is the cardinal reason for the difficulties which exist in human biology in assessing the two variables historic dating of human remains and age at death.
Abstract: Time is a wicked thing. It has no tangible substance, and yet it has an extremely solid autonomy, advancing ever so constantly. And, most wickedly, its correlation to other things is often lamentably weak. This weak interdependence between time and many other natural phenomena is the cardinal reason for the difficulties which exist in human biology in assessing the two variables historic dating of human remains and age at death. In particular the problem of age estimation has been approached by many methods developed in the last decades — which illustrates that the existing techniques were always insufficient.
67 citations
Dissertation•
01 Jan 2012
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32 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a stepped analytical approach was developed to examine the site's fragmentary bone assemblage (n = 16,204), which indicated that the emigrants consumed domestic cattle and horse and procured wild game, including deer, rabbit, and rodent.
Abstract: In spring of I546, the George and Jacob Donner families and some 80 traveling companions began their overland trek to California. When the party ascended the Sierra Nevada in late October, a snowstorm forced the group to bivouac. At this point, the train became separated into two contingents; the larger party camped near Donner Lake and the smaller group— including the Donner families—settled at Alder Creek. Though written accounts from the Lake site imply many resorted to cannibalism, no such records exist for Alder Creek. Here we present archaeological findings that support identification of the Alder Creek camp. We triangulate between historical context, archaeological traces of the camp, and osteological remains to examine the human condition amid the backdrops of starvation and cannibalism. A stepped analytical approach was developed to examine the site's fragmentary bone assemblage (n = 16,204). Macroscopic and histological analyses indicate that the emigrants consumed domestic cattle and horse and procured wild game, including deer, rabbit, and rodent. Bladed tools were used to extensively process animal tissue. Moreover, bone was being reduced to small fragments ; potpolish indicates these fragments were boiled to extract grease. It remains inconclusive, however, whether such processing, or the assemblage, includes human tissue.
25 citations
Dissertation•
01 Jan 1997
TL;DR: The aim of this project was to investigate five aspects of the endocranial surface of the skull; mid-parietal thickness, hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI), cranial suture fusion, vascular grooves and arachnoid granulations and to evaluate their relationship with age.
Abstract: The accurate estimation of age at death of human skeletal remains is an important aspect of many disciplines including archaeology, palaeopathology and medicine. There are many techniques in current use, but most of these have maximum cut-off points, leaving older individuals underaged. Current opinion suggests that a suite of techniques, rather than one specific method be used when estimating age at death. The aim of this project was to investigate five aspects of the endocranial surface of the skull; mid-parietal thickness, hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI), cranial suture fusion, vascular grooves and arachnoid granulations and to evaluate their relationship with age. Four samples (total 697 skeletons) were used l. a modern post-mortem population; 2. an early 20thC American anthropological collection; 3. a 17th-19thC French/English archaeological sample 4. an English 10th-19thC archaeological sample. Three of these samples were of known age at death. Direct measurement, recording and x-ray techniques were used to evaluate the relationship between specific bone changes and age. A measurable, but weak relationship with age was observed in skull mid-parietal thickness, HFI, rate of endocranial and ectocranial suture fusion and the cross sectional profile of meningeal vessel grooves. A new technique for the diagnosis of HFI was proposed, based on standard x-ray scores. Use of this method on the four samples showed that HFI is not increasing in prevalence with modernity, as previously thought. A strong relationship was observed between arachnoid granulation pit counts and age. A new method for estimating age at death was proposed and tested on two populations of known age. This new method was as accurate in estimating age at death as two of the most popular techniques currently in use. The method had less bias in ageing, can be applied to both sexes with equal accuracy and has no maximum age cut-off point.
17 citations
References
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TL;DR: Results show that the system is equally accurate to pubic symphyseal aging (although somewhat more difficult to apply), and also carries the advantages of a higher preservation rate for the auricular surface in archaeological populations and continued age-related change beyond the fifth decade.
Abstract: A new method for the determination of adult skeletal age at death based upon chronological changes in the auricular surface of the ilium is presented. Formal stages have been constructed following extensive tests and refinements in observations made of such changes. Two completely "blind" tests were conducted to assess the accuracy and bias of the new method. Results show that the system is equally accurate to pubic symphyseal aging (although somewhat more difficult to apply), and also carries the advantages of a higher preservation rate for the auricular surface in archaeological populations and continued age-related change beyond the fifth decade.
1,651 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that suture closure can provide valuable estimates of age-at-death in both archaeological and forensic contexts when used in conjunction with other skeletal age indicators.
Abstract: A new method for estimation of age-at-death based on the degree of suture closure is presented. The method employs simple ectocranial scoring of specific sites on the external table. Composite scores for two groups of sutures, lateral-anterior and vault systems, which are used to provide estimates of age-at-death, have been developed from a sample of 236 crania from the Hamann-Todd Collection. A variety of tests show that the lateral-anterior sutures are superior to the sutures of the vault, that ectocranial is superior to endocranial observation, and that age estimates are independent of race and sex. It is concluded that suture closure can provide valuable estimates of age-at-death in both archaeological and forensic contexts when used in conjunction with other skeletal age indicators.
1,292 citations
Journal Article•
709 citations
TL;DR: Dental wear is concluded to be a highly reliable and important indicator of adult age at death for skeletal populations if seriation procedures are employed.
Abstract: Modal patterns of occlusal attrition are presented for the Libben population based on a sample of 332 adult dentitions. Maxillas and mandibles were reviewed independently by seriation prior to assessment of complete dentitions. The Spearman rank order coefficient for upper and lower dentitions was .96. Wear patterns are very similar to those reported by Murphy (1959a: Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 17:167-178) for Australian aborigines. There were no significant sexual differences in wear rate. Dental wear is concluded to be a highly reliable and important indicator of adult age at death for skeletal populations if seriation procedures are employed.
668 citations
615 citations