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Brief Communication
Brief communication: Infracranial maturation in the skeletal collection from Coimbra, Portugal: New aging standards for epiphyseal union
Article first published online: 13 JUL 2007
DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.20683
Copyright © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
1096-8644/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=c25957633aab6b6ac1922fea9d9a5103f0357fec "American Journal of Physical Anthropology")
Additional Information
How to Cite
Coqueugniot, H. and Weaver, T. D. (2007), Brief communication: Infracranial maturation in the skeletal collection from Coimbra, Portugal: New aging standards for epiphyseal union. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 134: 424–437. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20683
Publication History
- Issue published online: 11 OCT 2007
- Article first published online: 13 JUL 2007
- Manuscript Accepted: 31 MAY 2007
- Manuscript Received: 31 JAN 2007
Funded by
- French CNRS, Max Planck Society
- Abstract
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- postcranium;
- development;
- age determination;
- bone maturation;
- epiphyseal fusion
Abstract
Age at death of a single skeletal individual or a group is essential information in archaeological, paleoanthropological, and forensic contexts. Dental remains are the most commonly used age indicators, but when the dentition is not available, or too few teeth are present for an accurate age assessment, other age indicators such as skeletal maturation must be used. Of particular utility in this regard is the fusion of the epiphyses of the infracranial skeleton. Here we present new aging standards based on the infracranial maturation of individuals from the known age and sex collection from Coimbra, Portugal. We scored infracranial epiphyseal fusion and spheno-occipital synchondrosis closure (64 loci of ossification in total) on 137 skeletons from individuals between 7 and 29 years old. We further discuss developmental differences between the sexes and similarities and differences between the Coimbra documented collection and other published aging standards. Am J Phys Anthropol 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.