ABSTRACT
Different approaches to the estimation of age at death in mature human skeletal remains were evaluated utilizing samples from 19 recent French autopsy individuals of known age at death. Methods of estimating age at death from single-rooted teeth, the sternal ends of the fourth ribs, the symphyseal face of the pubis and femoral cortical remodeling were evaluated by two independent observers (three observers for the teeth). Comparison included ages estimated from three more comprehensive approaches utilizing data from the application of two or more of the individual methods. The results indicate that the comprehensive approaches are superior to the individual ones and the success of the latter reflects not only the morphological expression of the aging process, but also the technique complexity and the experience of the investigator. Of the individual techniques, the "Lamendin" dental technique was most effective for individuals of ages greater than 25 years.
Subject(s)
Age Determination by Skeleton/methods , Forensic Anthropology/methods , Adult , Age Determination by Teeth/methods , Bone Remodeling/physiology , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Female , Femur/anatomy & histology , Femur/physiology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Observer Variation , Pubic Bone/anatomy & histology , Pubic Bone/physiology , Reproducibility of Results , Ribs/anatomy & histologyABSTRACT
A total of 963 skeletons (408 Whites and 555 Blacks) from the Terry Collection were studied to examine macroscopic cranial methods of age estimation. The methods of Acsádi and Nemeskéri, Masset, Baker and Meindl and Lovejoy were applied to every skull. The results indicate that the most accurate techniques in this application were those that consider endocranial suture closure. The methods of Acsádi and Nemeskéri and Masset were the most accurate in all the subsamples (by population, sex, sex within population and in total), although the relative accuracy could vary in application to other populations.
Subject(s)
Age Determination by Skeleton , Cephalometry/methods , Forensic Anthropology/methods , Skull/anatomy & histology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Child, Preschool , Cranial Sutures/anatomy & histology , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Middle Aged , Reproducibility of Results , Sex DistributionABSTRACT
The acetabulum/pubis index was tested on American Eskimo and Indian samples of innominate bones to which sex had been assigned by visual inspection. The index alone sexed 91 and 89% of the Eskimo and Indian samples, respectively. Subsequent sorting of misclassified specimens with femur head diameter resulted in 96 and 99% rates of classification. The index and a measurement of ischial height were used in a discriminant function model which correctly identified the sex of 93% of the Eskimo and 92% of the Indian bones. Using femur head diameter to sort those specimens which were misclassified by their discriminant function score yielded classification rates of 96 and 98%. These results are compared to a range of 92 to 100% obtained with the index in earlier studies of American black and white pelvic bone samples.
Subject(s)
Acetabulum/anatomy & histology , Indians, North American , Inuit , Pelvic Bones/anatomy & histology , Sex Determination Analysis , Alaska , Anthropology, Physical , Female , Femur/anatomy & histology , Hip , Humans , Male , South DakotaABSTRACT
The pelves of 100 black skeletons were measured on both sides for the following: (1) length from the superiormost aspect of the pubic symphysis to the nearest rim of the acetabulum (PS-A), (2) length from the highest point of the pubic tubercle to the nearest rim of the acetabulum (PT-A), (3) acetabular diameter (AD), (4) the vertical distance from the anterior aspect of the ischial tuberosity to the farthest rim of the acetabulum (IT-A), and (5) greatest femur head diameter. From these, three indices were derived: AD/PS-A (acetabulum/pubis index), AD/PT-A (acetabular diameter/pubic tubercle-acetabular rim index), and IT-A/PS-A (ischium-acetabulum height/pubic symphysis-acetabular rim index). The left AD/PS-A ratio and left IT-A height proved statistically to be of greatest discriminating value. Using these two variables, a discriminant function was derived which, followed by sorting with femur head diameter, accurately classified 97% of our sample. The acetabulum/pubis index alone with subsequent sorting by femur head diameter correctly assigned 96% of our sample. While this does not represent an improvement of predicatability over similar methods using the ischium/pubis index, measurements required for the acetabulum/pubis index are more easily defined and should, therefore, reduce the chance of observer error.