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Physical Aging: Ectocranial Suture Closure

Description of technique

The aim of this technique, described by Meindl and Lovejoy (1985) is to examine the state of closure

of the sutures of the skull at de!ned points on the cranium. From a complete skull two ages

can be determined one from using !gures for the Ectocranial Vault sutures and the other from the

Ectocranial Lateral-Anterior sutures.

The sutures of the skull are examined at each of the 10 points given below on the diagram of the

skull, 1 cm lengths (Can use a 1cm circle on a scale for this), and given a numerical value according

to the stage of closure:

Stages of Closure

0 Open; there is no evidence of any ectocranial closure at site.

1 Minimal Closure; Some closure has occurred. This score is given for any minimal to

moderate closure i.e. from a single bony bridge across the suture to about up to about

50% synostosis at the site.

2 Signi!cant Closure; there is a marked degree of closure but some portion of the site is

not completely fused.

3 Complete Obliteration; Site is completely fused.

Figure 1 Two examples of sutures, the left shows minimal closure so would be classi!ed as 1 and

the right shows signi!cant closure but still not completely fused so classi!ed as 2.

Points of the skull

1. Mid-lambdoid

2. Lambda

3. Obelion

4. Anterior sagittal

5. Bregma6. Mid-coronal

7. Pterion

8. Sphenofrontal

9. Inferior Sphenofrontal

10. Superior Sphenofrontal

Figure 2 Skull right lateral - showing the points for determining stage of ectocranial suture closure. 

Stature estimation using long bonesThe most accurate combination of bones to use for stature estimation is using the femur and tibia

this produces results within 1 standard deviation with 66% con!dence, indicated in tables belowwith an asterisk *. The !gures used are those provided by Trotter (1970) from intact long bones. A

key aspect of stature estimation is measuring the bone accurately and from the same parts of the bone as the original investigators, Bass (2005) uses Trotter’s !gures and gives clear indications for  each bone where measurements are to be taken from.Do note that there are variations for the tibia depending on which !gures are used as sometimes

technicians measured the whole length as below for other studies they didn’t include malleolus (see Bass 2005 p.245).

Methodology for measurements of maximum length

Humerus Place the head against a !xed vertical, raise the bone slightly and move it up and own as well as from side to side untilthe maximum length is obtained.

Radius From the head to the tip of the styloid process, taken in the same way as the humerus.

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Ulna From the top of the olecranon process to the tip of the styloid process, in the same way as the humerus.Femur Place the distal condyles against a !xed vertical surface raise the bone slightly and move it up and down as well as fromside to side until maximum length is obtained.

Tibia Place the end of the medial malleolus against a !xed vertical surface with the bone resting on its anterior (dorsal)surface with its long axis parallel to the measurement scale measure to the most prominent part of the lateral half of thelateral condyle.Fibula Maximum distance between the proximal and distal extremities, in the same way as the humerus.

Figure 1 Maximum length of upper limbs - Humerus, radius and ulna (Photographs not to scale ).