The auricular surface as age indicator in a modern Greek sample: A test of two qualitative methods

Abstract

Highlights This paper tests the suitability of two qualitative methods of age estimation  The methods are based on the morphology of the auricular surface  Error estimates are provided for direct and indirect observation  Both methods present limited value for accurate age estimates in Greeks  Alternative age markers are more appropriate for skeletonised remains In Greece ABSTRACTThe auricular surface is often found very well preserved, thus age-related changes in this anatomical area can be important for any set of human remains that require identification under different taphonomic conditions. This study tests the Buckberry & Chamberlain (2002) and Schmitt et al. (2005) methods in predicting the age of individuals in a documented sample from Crete, Greece. Both methods were used to record changes on the auricular surface in a mixed-sex sample of 74 individuals, directly as well as through photographs, by two independent observers. Cohen's kappa and intra class correlation coefficients (ICC) were used in order to assess inter-observer and intra-observer agreement. Results showed than none of the methods predicted age with sufficient accuracy, as high error rates were recorded. The Schmitt et al. (2005) method performed better, mainly because the age ranges it uses are broader. Scoring through photographs does not seem to introduce bias in predicting age, as demonstrated by the high intra-observer agreement rates. Inter-observer agreement was also high. The low intra-and interobserver error rates suggest that the poor performance of both methods in the Cretan sample is not due to a lack of clarity in the description of the morphological changes recorded on the auricular surface; rather it should be attributed to a poor correlation between these changes and age at death in our material.

An evaluation of Bayesian age estimation using the auricular surface in modern Greek material

“…Similarly, Moraitis et al (2014) found the Buckberry and Chamberlain (2002) method to work well in the Athens Collection and in their study the good performance of this method was identified also among younger adults. In contrast, Michopoulou et al (2017) found the Buckberry and Chamberlain (2002) method to perform very poorly in the Cretan Collection (19% to 23% correct age classifications). We should stress that in the Xanthopoulou et al (2018) study, the use of Bayesian age estimation by means of the ADBOU software produced even lower correct age classifications (28% to 44% for the auricular area of the ilium) compared to the original Lovejoy et al (1985a) and Buckberry and Chamberlain (2002) methods.…”

“…Brooks and Suchey 1990;Meindl and Lovejoy 1985). Validation studies of these methods in different assemblages have produced mixed and often discouraging results, stressing the high level of inter-population variation in the ageing process and the need for different approaches (Falys et al 2006;Hershkovitz et al 1997;Michopoulou et al 2017;Saunders et al 1992;Xanthopoulou et al 2018).…”

Aging methods and age‐at‐death distributions: Does transition analysis call for a re‐examination of bioarchaeological data?

“…This has been described as age mimicry, a phenomenon in which the age distribution of the target population mirrors the distribution of the reference population (Bocquet‐Appel & Masset, , Boldsen et al, :75, Buckberry, ). Age mimicry limits the applicability of age estimation methods on samples different in age composition from the reference population (e.g., Herrera & Retamal, ; Michopoulou, Negre, Nikita, & Kranioti, ; Ruengdit, Prasitwattanaseree, Mekjaidee, Sinthubua, & Mahakkanukrauh, ; Savall et al, ; Schmitt, ; Xanthopoulou et al, ), although some studies have shown that age mimicry does not always have a significant impact of the age distribution of skeletal samples (e.g., Moraitis, Zorba, Eliopoulous, & Fox, ; Sakaue, ).…”

Estimation of age in forensic anthropology: historical perspective and recent methodological advances

“…Michopoulou et al. [58] tested other methods of age estimation from the auricular surface finding a more significant error in their applications to documented skeletons from Crete, Greece than initially reported.…”