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Skeletal age determination based on the os pubis: A comparison of the Acsádi-Nemeskéri and Suchey-Brooks methods

Human Evolution

Abstract

After reviewing various systems of age determination based on analysis of the pubic bone, the discussion concentrates on the collection and preparation of an extensive autopsy sample (n=1225) of pubic bones from modern individuals with legal documentation of age at death (death and/or birth certificates). TheSuchey-Brooks method derived from this sample is described. TheAcsádi-Nemeskéri system is evaluated in terms of the documented collection and it is seen that their five stage method focuses only on the early and late morphological changes. The intermediate stages, in which the ventral rampart is in process of completion, are not described. Their suggested age ranges do not correspond with the documented modern sample. Based on these limitations of theAcsádi-Nemeskéri method, applications of theSuchey-Brooks system are discussed.

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Brooks, S., Suchey, J.M. Skeletal age determination based on the os pubis: A comparison of the Acsádi-Nemeskéri and Suchey-Brooks methods. Hum. Evol. 5, 227–238 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02437238

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02437238

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