A Test of a Recently Devised Method of Estimating Skeletal Age at Death using Features of the Adult Acetabulum

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.