An evaluation of the miles method of ageing using the Tepe Hissar dental sample

Abstract

The Miles system of ageing, based upon analysis of the rate of molar wear, was evaluated using the available dental sample from Tepe Hissar, Iran. The independently estimated ages for the mandibles and maxillae of the same individuals were found to be highly correlated (r=0.87, p<0.001). Ages of a subsample of the dentitions were compared with skeletal ages for the same individuals estimated from pubic symphyseal faces and found to be significantly correlated (r=0.82, p<0.005) with no significant differences in the mean ages. Although a complete evaluation of the Miles method would require its testing on a controlled population, the available dental sample from Tepe Hissar provided evidence of the reliability and validity of the Miles method of ageing archeological populations on the basis of dental wear. Due to selective retention of burial remains, the available skeletal sample from Tepe Hissar I-III is not representative of the human populations of the site and can not be used to generate meaningful demographic statistics.