Gauthier J, Schutkowski H
Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82070, USA.
Homo. 2013 Feb;64(1):42-57. doi: 10.1016/j.jchb.2012.11.001. Epub 2012 Dec 6.
The analysis of human skeletal remains is frequently impeded by the lack of adequately preserved morphological markers on which to base age estimation, particularly in archeological contexts. Therefore, histological methods such as tooth cementum annulation analysis can be useful for extracting reliable age estimates from poorly preserved skeletons, if they produce results corresponding to morphologically based, multifactorial assessments. In order to test this presumption, this study compares tooth cementum annulation (TCA) with macroscopic age estimation results incorporating the Brooks-Suchey pubic symphysis and the Buckberry-Chamberlain revised auricular surface methods, as well as Brothwell's guidelines for analyzing dental attrition. Undecalcified, polished, and unstained transverse thin sections viewed using standard light microscopy, with decentered phase contrast microscopy in cases of poorly delineated cementum annulations, were used for TCA counts. Age estimates were applied independently on the late medieval archeological Box Lane cemetery assemblage from Pontefract, England, to analyze their measure of correspondence and to assess whether data produced by a single histological technique are comparable to information pooled from multiple morphological age markers. Spearman's rank correlation tests resulted in a significant association between TCA and morphological age estimates. Further studies using larger samples of known age material would help to improve our understanding of TCA age estimation performance relative to macroscopic age assessment as well as continued refinement and standardization of cementum sectioning, which is suggested to impact annulation visibility.
对人类骨骼遗骸的分析常常因缺乏保存完好的形态学标记而受阻，而年龄估计正是基于这些标记，尤其是在考古背景下。因此，诸如牙骨质年轮分析等组织学方法对于从保存不佳的骨骼中提取可靠的年龄估计可能是有用的，前提是它们得出的结果与基于形态学的多因素评估结果相符。为了验证这一假设，本研究将牙骨质年轮分析（TCA）与宏观年龄估计结果进行了比较，宏观年龄估计结果纳入了布鲁克斯 - 苏切伊耻骨联合法、巴克伯里 - 钱伯林修订的耳状面法，以及布罗斯韦尔分析牙齿磨损的指南。使用标准光学显微镜观察未脱钙、抛光且未染色的横向薄片，对于牙骨质年轮划分不清晰的情况则使用偏心相衬显微镜进行TCA计数。年龄估计独立应用于来自英国庞特弗拉克特中世纪晚期考古箱巷墓地的样本，以分析它们的对应程度，并评估单一组织学技术产生的数据是否与从多个形态学年龄标记汇总的信息具有可比性。斯皮尔曼等级相关检验结果表明TCA与形态学年龄估计之间存在显著关联。使用更大样本的已知年龄材料进行进一步研究，将有助于提高我们对TCA年龄估计性能相对于宏观年龄评估的理解，以及对牙骨质切片的持续改进和标准化，因为牙骨质切片被认为会影响年轮的可见性。
