Testing the value of skeletal samples in demographic research: a comparison with vital registration samples

Lanphear, Kim M.

doi:10.1007/bf02446240

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…As a consequence of this fact, when the Bayesian approach (or "age length key") is applied to an anthropological or paleodemographic target sample, we will get an estimated age distribution which is neither a complete "mimic" of the reference sample nor completely independent of the reference. Given this fact, there is little reason to make empirical comparisons of reference and target age distributions (e.g., Van Gerven and Armelagos, 1983;Mensforth, 1990) or of estimated and real age distributions (Piontek and Weber, 1990;Lanphear, 1989). We know a priori (see Kimura, 1977;Westrheim and Ricker, 1978) that the estimated target age distribution will be biased in virtually all cases.…”

Section: Bias In the Traditional Methods Of Age Estimationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The second problem has been discussed by Weiss (1973:12-13) for living and skeletal populations and by Walker et al (1988) in the paleodemographic setting. The third problem of unknown ages has seen heated debate in the paleodemographic literature (Bocquet-Appel andMasset, 1982, 1985;Van Gerven and Armelagos, 1983;Bocquet-Appel, 1986;Greene et al, 1986;Lanphear, 1989;Piontek and Weber, 1990), and serves as the basis for this paper.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Estimation of age structure in anthropological demography

Konigsberg

Frankenberg

1992

American J Phys Anthropol

198

171

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The past decade has produced considerable debate over the feasibility of paleodemographic research, with much attention focusing on the question of reliability of age estimates. We show here that in cases where age is estimated rather than known, the traditional method of assigning individuals to age classes will produce biased estimates of age structure. We demonstrate the effect of this bias both mathematically and by computer simulation, and show how a more appropriate method from the fisheries literature (the "iterated age length key") can be used to estimate age structure. Because it is often the case that ages are also estimated for extant groups, we suggest that our results are relevant to the general field of anthropological demography, and that it is time for us to improve the statistical basis for age structure estimation. We further suggest that the oft noted paucity of older individuals in skeletal collections is a simple result of the use of inappropriate methods of age estimation, and that this problem can be rectified in the future by using maximum likelihood estimates of life table or hazard functions incorporating the uncertainty of age estimates.

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Section: Bias In the Traditional Methods Of Age Estimationmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimation of age structure in anthropological demography

Konigsberg

Frankenberg

1992

American J Phys Anthropol

198

171

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“…It consists of 81 subadults (aged 19 years or less), 125 adult males, 74 adult females, and 16 skeletons of unknown age or sex. More information on the demographic make-up of the Monroe County Poorhouse mortality sample is given by Lanphear (1989). Two of the skeletons were identified as those of African Americans; the remainder were identified as white.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Frequency and distribution of enamel hypoplasias in a historic skeletal sample

Lanphear

1990

American J Phys Anthropol

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A skeletal sample of 296 individuals from a 19th century American poorhouse cemetery is examined for the frequency and chronological distribution of linear enamel hypoplasias on the mandibular canines and maxillary central incisors. Dental enamel hypoplasias may be considered to be indicators of increased exposure to health risk at the time of weaning. The purpose of this study is to examine childhood stress and provide a relative measure of that stress, as evidenced by hypoplasias, in a historic sample that represents an industrializing population. The frequency of enamel hypoplasias per individual by tooth ranged from 70 to 73%, with a peak age at stress of 2.5 to 3 years for the maxillary central incisor and 3.5 to 4 years for the mandibular canine. There were no significant differences in the presence of hypoplasias between males and females. The peak age at stress between 2.5 and 4 years in this 19th century sample transects the ranges reported for prehistoric populations (2-6 years) and for modern groups (0-3 years). These results indicate that the stress associated with weaning probably occurred earlier in incipient industrial societies than in prehistoric hunter/gatherers and agriculturalists, yet not as early as in modern industrial groups. The high level of childhood stress in this skeletal sample compared with that of other samples may indicate a change in health, at least among the lowest class, associated with the cultural transition from an agricultural to an industrial society.

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“…These researchers argued that the target age-at-death distribution was heavily influenced by the age-at-death distribution from the reference sample. Although Bocquet-Appel and Masset stated that this problem, along with aging bias and low correlation between age indicators and chronological age could not be overcome, several researchers (10,(14)(15)(16)64,68,73,77,(79)(80)(81)(90)(91)(92)(93)(94)(95)(96)(97)(98) have provided adequate and ample solutions to the problems reported by Bocquet-Appel and Masset. Using appropriate reference samples and statistical methodologies, as addressed below, can eliminate age mimicry.…”

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confidence: 99%

New Formulae for Estimating Age‐at‐Death in the Balkans Utilizing Lamendin’s Dental Technique and Bayesian Analysis*

Prince

Konigsberg

2008

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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The present study analyzed apical translucency and periodontal recession on single-rooted teeth in order to generate age-at-death estimations using two inverse calibration methods and one Bayesian method. The three age estimates were compared to highlight inherent problems with the inverse calibration methods. The results showed that the Bayesian analysis reduced severity of several problems associated with adult skeletal age-at-death estimations. The Bayesian estimates produced a lower overall mean error, a higher correlation with actual age, reduced aging bias, reduced age mimicry, and reduced the age ranges associated with the most probable age as compared to the inverse calibration methods for this sample. This research concluded that periodontal recession cannot be used as a univariate age indicator, due to its low correlation with chronological age. Apical translucency yielded a high correlation with chronological age and was concluded to be an important age indicator. The Bayesian approach offered the most appropriate statistical analysis for the estimation of age-at-death with the current sample.

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Testing the value of skeletal samples in demographic research: a comparison with vital registration samples

Cited by 14 publications

References 7 publications

Estimation of age structure in anthropological demography

Estimation of age structure in anthropological demography

Frequency and distribution of enamel hypoplasias in a historic skeletal sample

New Formulae for Estimating Age‐at‐Death in the Balkans Utilizing Lamendin’s Dental Technique and Bayesian Analysis*

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