Skeletal remains, particularly the cranium, offer valuable clues for estimating an individual’s age at the time of death. This process involves analyzing various features of bone development and degeneration, with observable changes indicating different life stages. For example, the degree of suture closure, where cranial bones fuse together, provides an indication of age, with more complete closure typically associated with older individuals. Similarly, dental development and eruption patterns in younger remains are reliable age indicators, while age-related bone loss and degenerative changes in older skulls offer different sets of markers.
The ability to ascertain age from cranial remains holds significant importance in several fields. In forensic investigations, age estimation aids in identifying unknown individuals, narrowing down potential matches in missing persons cases. Archeological studies benefit from age-at-death estimations to understand demographic profiles of past populations, revealing insights into mortality patterns and life expectancies. Furthermore, paleopathological research relies on this data to correlate age with disease prevalence and skeletal pathologies, providing a comprehensive understanding of health and living conditions in historical contexts.
