[Methods in age determination in human skeletons exemplified by inhumation and cremation burials of the Hallstatt period].

Discussed were the usual methods presently applied in anthropology for determining a person's age at death by means of specific characteristics of the human skeleton. The inhumation and cremation burials from two tumulus cemeteries of the Hallstatt period (750-500 BC), Dietfurt and Schirndorf, which are both located in the Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, were used as illustrations. In the case of the skeleton of an adult a combined method of age-determination, which took the following four factors into account, proved to be effective: 1. the stage of closure of the endocranial suture, 2. changes in the symphyseal surface of the pubis, 3. and 4. changes in the structure of the spongiosa of the proximal humerus epiphysis and femur epiphysis. In addition the degree of abrasion of the teeth can be taken into account. In the case of skeletons of non-adults, teeth cutting and the epiphyseal fusion should be paid particular attention to. Using the described methods, the following data relating to age-structure for the inhumation burials of both Hallstatt cemeteries could be attained. The death-apex was reached in the adult age-class. The average life-expectancy of both men and women in Dietfurt and Schirndorf was approximately 31-32 years. The average life-expectancy at the time of birth was 32.3 years in Dietfurt and 26.9 years in Schirndorf. The varying results are due to the fact that more children of the age-classes infants I and infants II could be proved for the Schirndorf cemetery.