Epiphysis Forensic Anthropology
FiGURE 4.2 The medial end of three clavicles are pictured: one unfused (left), one partially fused (middle, with red arrow marking epiphysis), and one that is fully fused (right).
but can also be used with older children. As noted earlier, the skeletons of infants and children consist of numerous epiphyses and cartilaginous precursors that signify very early stages of bone development. Due to the developmental state of the skeleton, the bone measurements taken for age estimates do not include the epiphyses and pertain to only the diaphyses, or shafts. In order to use this technique, the shaft measurements of the unknown child are compared to mean values derived from data on known age children to determine the most likely age-at-death value. Take, for example, a case where a femur shaft was found to have a length of 135 millimeters (5.4 inches). Comparison with published standards shows that this length is most consistent with an individual around 1 year of age. As a person gets older, there is more variation in the size and shape of the long bones, making this technique less reliable.
- Figure 4.3 Stages of hand and wrist development (birth, 5 years, and 15 years) in girls is pictured above. Epiphyses are colored gray.
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