NCJ Number
246557
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 59 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2014 Pages: 184-187
Date Published
January 2014
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Estimation of age at death from adult skeletal remains is highly problematic, due in great part to interpopulation variability in skeletal age changes.
Abstract
Estimation of age at death from adult skeletal remains is highly problematic, due in great part to interpopulation variability in skeletal age changes. Thorough testing of aging methods is therefore of key importance. A method recently devised by Calce Am J Phys Anthropol 148 2012: 11-23 for placing adult skeletons into three broad age at death classes 17-39, 40-64, 65+ years on the basis of acetabular morphology is tested on a collection of 18-19th century AD skeletons N = 185 of documented age at death from London. Results showed that 45% were correctly assigned to age class using this method. This compares with 81% reported by Calce on 20th century North American material. This indicates significant interpopulation differences in the relationship between the Calce acetabular variables and age, even between populations of European ancestry. Until the sources of this variation are better understood, caution should be used before applying this method to estimate age in unknown skeletons. Abstract published by arrangement with Wiley.