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Basics in paleodemography: A comparison of age indicators applied to the early medieval skeletal sample of Lauchheim
Author(s) -
WittwerBackofen Ursula,
Buckberry Jo,
Czarnetzki Alfred,
Doppler Stefanie,
Grupe Gisela,
Hotz Gerhard,
Kemkes Ariane,
Larsen Clark Spencer,
Prince Debbie,
Wahl Joachim,
Fabig Alexander,
Weise Svenja
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.20881
Subject(s) - age groups , osteon , dentistry , orthodontics , demography , biology , anatomy , medicine , cortical bone , sociology
Recent advances in the methods of skeletal age estimation have rekindled interest in their applicability to paleodemography. The current study contributes to the discussion by applying several long established as well as recently developed or refined aging methods to a subsample of 121 adult skeletons from the early medieval cemetery of Lauchheim. The skeletal remains were analyzed by 13 independent observers using a variety of aging techniques (complex method and other multimethod approaches, Transition Analysis, cranial suture closure, auricular surface method, osteon density method, tooth root translucency measurement, and tooth cementum annulation counting). The age ranges and mean age estimations were compared and results indicate that all methods showed smaller age ranges for the younger individuals, but broader age ranges for the older age groups. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.