Test of the multifactorial aging method using skeletons with known ages-at-death from the Grant Collection

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Bioarchaeology
• Paleodemography

Background:

• Skeletal aging is crucial for forensic and archaeological studies.
• The multifactorial aging method integrates multiple age indicators for enhanced reliability.
• Previous research established the multifactorial method's potential but required further validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a blind test assessing the accuracy of the multifactorial skeletal aging method.
• To compare the accuracy of multifactorial age estimates against single indicators.
• To evaluate the method's performance on a sample with verified death certificates.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 55 individuals with verified death certificates was used.
• Three experts independently estimated skeletal age using auricular surface, pubic symphysis, and radiographic data.
• Summary ages were calculated, and correlations with actual age were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Multifactorial age estimates showed strong inter-observer correlations (r = 0.84-0.89).
• The multifactorial method demonstrated higher accuracy compared to any single aging indicator.
• The mean error for summary age was 8.7 years, outperforming single indicators by at least one year.

Conclusions:

• The multifactorial aging method is a highly reliable technique for determining skeletal age at death.
• Integrating multiple, weighted age indicators mitigates variations seen in single indicators.
• This method is particularly valuable for paleodemographic analysis and forensic applications.