36 Aging of the Postcranium

Few options are available in aging the postcranium including epiphyseal union, bone measurements in infants, and degenerative change. Bone measurements exist for fetal material through approximately six years of age; see Johnston 1962 for further information. Degenerative change in the postcranium is similar to that seen in the articulation sites in the skull, with osteophytosis and erosion. Epiphyseal union can be extremely helpful in aging if no dentition is present or if you are working with a commingled burial. Presence, absence, and fusion of the epiphyses to the shaft of the bone is a relatively easy observation; see below for further information on aging using fusion of the epiphyses.