Summaries, Recording Forms, and Practical Sequencing Information

This chapter is designed to present an overview on summaries, recording forms, and practical sequencing information. Summary illustrations are provided to serve as a quick source for obtaining useful aging information on each bone. Aging forms have been designed to provide practical parameters for estimating age based on the observed status of various osseous materials. Two general techniques for age estimation are the appearance and union of primary and secondary ossification centers. For specific and more accurate information regarding aging, standards derived from a representative population, with comparable means of assessment should be consulted. Skeletal recording forms consist of a series of three recording forms, representing three life stages (perinatal remains, early childhood, and late childhood/adolescence) and this permits a more realistic template of the skeletal development. This offers the practitioner a general idea of the ossification centers and the union that might be expected to be present based on the broad life stage of the individual. Skull recording forms comprise of a series of two forms, representing perinatal and early childhood development. Epiphyseal sequencing is an aid to recognize commingled remains. Understanding the sequence in which epiphyses begin and complete, union can be used as an important tool in the detection and separation of commingled remains. Osseous material that is recognized as developmentally incompatible may provide sufficient evidence to indicate the presence of two or more individuals. Documentation of union sequence among the epiphyses helps to identify outlying elements whose union status does not adhere to expected sequencing patterns, thereby suggesting the presence of commingled remains.