Methods of Age Estimation in Skeletal Remains

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS• Estimation of age at death is one of the demographic characteristics

that has extensively been studied by osteologists and is of interest to both forensic anthropologists and paleodemographers.

• Two kinds of age can be distinguished• Absolute or chronological age and Biological age.• Methods of estimating age in fetuses and children are based on

changes that result from development and growth from the immature to adult stage.

FETAL REMAINS

• 1. Ossification Centres• 2. Cranium• 3. Body Length and Long Bone Lengths

Schaefer et al. (2009).

Case Study

C. JUVENILE REMAINS• 1. Ossification Centers and Epiphyseal UnionEpiphyseal ClosureRadiographic Assessment of Epiphyseal Union

Case Study 79-24

ترانشه در گور روي D اين بر که است کودکي يک گور دارد جايو شمال به رو آن پست و است شده سپرده خاک به چپ شانهنگاه جنوب سمت به رو خاور سمت به پاها ، باختر سمت به سر . ديده آسيب جمجمه کامل تا سازي استخوان علت به کند مياز فيزها اپي و است رشد مرحله در اندام هاي استخوان و است . و پيش هاي دندان شناسي ريخت به توجه با جداست ديافيزها

حدود در کودک اندک استخواني . 8-9رشد درکنار است سالهحدود ( 8اسکلت ( ديده گوسفند قاپ آستراگالوس استخوان عدد

. اين اساس بر است بوده کودک بازي اسباب ابزار که شود مي . گور به شيوه است ممکن غير فرد جنسيت بيني پيش شواهدسالم صورت به اسکلت هاي بخش تمام و است جنيني سپاري : . خاکستري هاي سفالين اسکلت همراه اشياء است آمده بيرونداده جاي آن در دار نوک اي سفالينه و کوچک و بزرگ اندازه در

است .شده

82-2

D. ADULTS1. General Considerations

• For many years age estimations of the adult skeleton have focused mostly on the skull and pelvis.

• Sternal Ends of Ribs• 3. Pubic Symphysis• 4. Auricular Surface• 5. Cranial Sutures• 6. Acetabulum• 7. Vertebral Column• 8. Radiographic Methods• 9- Histomorphological Features Used

E. Dental age

• ESTIMATION OF AGE: SUB-ADULTS• ESTIMATION OF AGE: ADULTS

Pubic Symphysis Morphology

Lewis ME, Forensic anthropology, 2007

Male I Male II Male III Male IV

Male VI Male V

Pubic Symphysometry

Male I: 20 Male VI: 65

preliminary results Proceeding of American Academy of Forensic Sciences. 2003

Apical activity

Transverse Organisation- Billowing

- Striae

- Irregular

- fine granularity

- coarse granularity

- dense bone

Auricular Surface of the Ilium

Texture

Porosity - Micropor

- Macropor

Auricular Surface of the Ilium

Ref: White TD, ; 2011

AGE 70

Severe retroauricular activity

of the deciduous (blue) and permanent (yellow) teeth. (Modified with permission from Schour I, Massler M 1941 The development of the human dentition.

Estimating Subadult Age from Teeth

Ref: Nelson SJ. Wheeler's dental anatomy, 2012

Estimating Adult Age from Teeth (Tooth-wear patterns)

derived from a sample of prehistoric to medieval English skeletons. typical patterns of wear characteristic of four broad age ranges. Ref: White TD, ; 2011 & Irish JD, Nelson GC.2008.

numerical wear scores for molars. Exposed dentine is shown in black, and worn enamel is hatched.