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Fusion status of the jugular growth plate: An aid for age at death determination
Author(s) -
Maat George J. R.,
Mastwijk Rob W.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
international journal of osteoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1099-1212
pISSN - 1047-482X
DOI - 10.1002/oa.1390050209
Subject(s) - medicine , synostosis , ageing , age groups , cause of death , surgery , demography , disease , sociology
Abstract To assess the feasibility of the fusion (synostosis) status of the jugular growth plate as an age at death indicator, a series of 98 skulls of documented age and sex from the so‐called ‘Utrecht collection’ was examined. Ages at death in the series ranged from 14 to 92 years. Only specimens that could be inspected bilaterally were taken into account. According to the few but conflicting data from the literature, fusion happens at 16–18 years, or starts at ca. 25 years of age. In our sample no fusions were seen before the age of 22 years. Unilateral fusions were found only in the age range 22–34 years. At ages above 34 years in females and above 36 years in males all jugular growth plates were fused bilaterally. These results indicate that examination of the fusion status of the jugular growth plate is of use in age at death determination.