Biological Profile: Age at Death

Question 1

what do you look for when looking at aging skeletons?

Answer 1

growth
development
degeneration

Question 2

growth

Answer 2

increase in size

Question 3

development

Answer 3

morphological change; does not have to be accompanies by physical growth

Question 4

what factors influence skeletal growth and development?

Answer 4

genetics
horomones (puberty)
nutrition
disease

Question 5

what are the factors that influence subadult age estimation?

Answer 5

dental development
appearance of ossification centers
epiphyseal fusion
long bone measurements
accurate and precise measurements

Question 6

what are the first teeth to appear in babies?

Answer 6

upper and lower incisor (8-12 months)

Question 7

what are the first teeth to appear in adults?

Answer 7

upper and lower first molar (6-7 years)

Question 8

what are the last teeth to appear in babies?

Answer 8

upper and lower second molar (25-33 months)

Question 9

what are the last teeth to appear in adults?

Answer 9

lower and upper third molar (17-21 years)

Question 10

intramembranous bone formation

Answer 10

forms within a membrane
most cranial bones
most are flat

Question 11

endochondral bone formation

Answer 11

starts as a cartilage template
long bones
most post cranial bones

Question 12

intramembranous ossification

Answer 12

bones develop in a membrane

forms bone of the cranial vault, mandible, face, and part of the clavicle

Question 13

fontanels

Answer 13

gaps in the skull of a newborn (soft spot)
close gradually during infancy
usually closed around 18-24 months

Question 14

appearance of ossification centers in endochondral bone

Answer 14

secondary centers in the epiphysis
appear after birth
allow for growth in post cranial skeleton

Question 15

fusion of the epiphysis

Answer 15

teenage years (10-25)
process, not an event
females develop 2 years in advance
certain areas always fuse before others

Question 16

what is the order in which bones fuse?

Answer 16

Even Hopeless Archaeologists Know Which Shovel
elbow (11-13)
hip (13-15)
ankles (14-16)
wrist (16-18)
shoulder (18-21)

Question 17

how is fetal length measured?

Answer 17

crown to heal (most accurate) or crown to rump

Question 18

what is the formula for fetal length from 1-5 months?

Answer 18

months squared

Question 19

what is the formula for fetal length from 6-9 months?

Answer 19

months x 5

Question 20

age determination for adults

Answer 20

more difficult and less accurate

adult skeleton is less dynamic

Question 21

what are the patterns of degeneration?

Answer 21

cranial suture closure
pubic symphysis
auricular surface
sternal end of the 4th rib

Question 22

basic degeneration

Answer 22

collapse of vertebrae
osteoporosis
arthritis
loss of teeth
none of the above can be used in a court of law

Question 23

edentulism

Answer 23

loss of teeth
due to wear, tooth decay, or loss of bone density
not always indicative of age

Question 24

pubic symphysis

Answer 24

• looks at changed in symphyses face, which deteriorates over time
• young individuals have ridges and furrows
• older individuals have lipping and bony growths

Question 25

cranial suture closure

Answer 25

• sutures close with age, starting in infancy

- in older individuals, sutures may disappear altogether but that varies

Question 26

auricular surface

Answer 26

• similar to the symphysis method - a pelvic joint in subjective to degenerate changes
• scoring method uses a 1-8 age phase category with 1 being the youngest
• method is difficult to use and the man who invented it, Lovejoy, seemed to be the only person that could actually use it

Question 27

sternal rib ends

Answer 27

• uses the sternal end of the 4th end rib
• goes from a billowy shallow surface to a deeper, more porous, and irregularly libbed surface that may have bony projections
• has 8 phases that correspond to age and sex