Chapter 12. Subadult Growth and Development

Author(s): Susan Goode-Null, K. Shujaa, Lesley M. Rankin-Hill

Year: 2004

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Summary

Growth and developmental status is often used as an indicator of general health

status at the population level. A brief review of literature regarding human skeletal

growth and development indicates there are several methodologies for assessing these

processes in human skeletal remains (Albert and Greene 1999; Flecker 1942; Goode

et al. 1993; Gruelich and Pyle 1950; Hoppa 1992; Hoppa and Fitzgerald 1999; Hoppa and

Gruspier 1996; Johnston and Zimmer, 1989; Livshits et al. 1998; Miles and Bulman

1994; Saunders 1992; Saunders et al. 1993; Sciulli 1994; Todd 1937). Particularly, adult

height may be used as a proxy for an individual’s general state of childhood and

adolescent nutritional status (Goode et al. 1993; Hoppa 1992; Miles and Bulman 1994).

However, Hoppa (1992) and Miles and Bulman (1994) have recently proposed the use of

cross-sectional long bone growth profiles in archaeological populations as a means to

assess a population’s health status, using long bone lengths would stand as a proxy for

stature estimates for immature remains. On the other hand, Goode et al. (1993) propose

standardizing (see below) all long bone measurements as a method of representing any or

all long bones measured in a single graphic plot. This method was promoted as a means

of: 1) circumventing situations wherein infant and child skeletons are either fragmentary

or skeletal elements are not equally represented, 2) promoting intra- and interpopulation

growth comparisons, and 3) as a means of diagnosing individuals with grossly deviant

standardized values for closer analysis of the abnormality (1993:323)1.

URL:http://www.africanburialground.gov/ABG_FinalReports.htm

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Keywords

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 1640 to 1800

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Prepared By(s): National Park Serivce

Submitted To(s): General Services Administration Northeastern and Caribbean Region