Publication Date

Spring 2026

Abstract

This dissertation investigates how structural and cultural factors collectively influence the aging process and how these effects manifest in both hard and soft tissues. Chapter 2 used an AI-based CT body composition tool and a CT-based biological age model to examine the relationship between age discrepancy and demographic variables such as sex, race/ethnicity, and manner of death. Results demonstrate significant differences in age discrepancy, with females, Native Americans, and individuals who died of natural causes exhibiting greater discrepancies. Chapters 3 and 4 further evaluate whether anthropological approaches to skeletal aging can be improved by adopting a biocultural perspective. These chapters introduce a new Bayesian model that builds on Hartnett’s (2010) pubic symphysis age estimation method by incorporating additional skeletal biomarkers. Results show that point estimates from the new model are more accurate and precise, as indicated by lower error, narrower confidence intervals, and higher confidence interval coverage.

Keywords

anthropology, forensic anthropology, biological aging, age discrepancy, adult skeletal age estimation

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Evolutionary Anthropology

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Anthropology

First Committee Member (Chair)

Heather Edgar

Second Committee Member

Lexi O'Donnell

Third Committee Member

Vera Tiesler

Fourth Committee Member

John Garrett

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