The Determination of Age in Subadult from the Rib Cortical Microstructure

Abstract

Studies on adult bones have demonstrated age-associated accumulation of histomorphological characteristics that have been used to develop age at death estimation methods. These methods are unsuitable for use with subadult bones because the rapid and extensive turnover and replacement of cortical bone that occurs with growth and development removes any age-associated variables such as osteon numbers. The qualitative analysis of 72 rib samples from individuals of known age has identified a sequence of developmental stages in the growing rib. Recognition of the systematic pattern of changes in the subadult rib has resulted in the development of a four phase qualitative method of age estimation applicable to the subadult rib cortex.