Spheno-occipital synchondrosis: Examining the degree of fusion in a South African Black skeletal sample

Age can be one of the most problematic biological features for a physical/forensic anthropologist to assess. It forms an essential component of a biological profile by aiding in the narrowing down of possible missing persons [1 –5]. Establishing an age range of a set of skeletal remains is often compounded by numerous factors, such as the experience of the individual conducting the analysis and the type and state of preservation of the remains presented for examination [2,3]. The spheno-occipital synchondrosis is an impo rtant skeletal developmental marker that can be used in estimating the age-of-death in sub-adult skeletal remains [6].
Source: Forensic Science International - Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Tags: Forensic Anthropology Population Data Source Type: research