Final answer:
The age of skeletal remains can be determined using radiocarbon dating for carbon-containing remains and transition analysis for adult bones. For those under twenty, skeletal development markers such as epiphyseal fusion and dental development are useful.
Step-by-step explanation:
Two methods used to determine the age of skeletal remains are radiocarbon dating and transition analysis. Radiocarbon dating measures the amount of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope, remaining in carbon-containing remains to estimate the age of specimens up to about 50,000 years old. Transition analysis applies to adult remains and evaluates changes in specific parts of the skeleton, like the pubic symphysis, iliac auricular surface, and cranial suture closure, to estimate age. This method helps to overcome biases present in traditional age-estimation methods that have been shown to underestimate the ages of older adults.
For younger individuals, particularly those under twenty, the epiphyseal fusion of bone endpoints, dental development, and tooth eruption patterns are used to assess age. In some cases, radiographs of a child's long bones, such as the femur, can reveal the level of bone development and epiphyseal fusion, providing an approximate age of the child.