Age estimation from sternal ends of ribs by phase analysis in South African Blacks

The sternal ends of ribs are used in age determination of unknown adult rem ains. Standards for American populations have been described and tested. Th e method described by Iscan et al. is reviewed and compard with other age m arkers of the human skeleton. Three hundred and thirty-nine (265 male, 74 f emale) sternal ends of right fourth ribs, belonging to black individuals de ceased in the Gauteng Province of South Africa, were collected during 1994, 1995, and 1996. Three South African investigators applied the existing met hod and found the repeatability among them acceptable, although the method was less accurate to predict age in this population. New phases with adjust ed criteria and age ranges were developed specifically for the South Africa n black population. A tendency toward delayed maturation was found, as well as a diversion of the appearance of female ribs perimenopausally. Future s tudies involving more individuals in the older age ranges, and females of a ll ages, could broaden the representativeness of these phases.