International Journal of Osteoarchaeology最新文献

{"title":"Cranial Nonmetric Traits as Indicators of Regional Population Affinities Among Uralic-Speaking Populations From European Russia to Western Siberia","authors":"Alla A. Movsesian","doi":"10.1002/oa.70141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70141","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study uses nine Uralic-speaking populations with documented multilayered genetic structure as a regional test case to evaluate how closely cranial nonmetric trait distances correspond to genetic differentiation and whether this correspondence varies across autosomal, mitochondrial, and Y-chromosomal systems. Cranial nonmetric trait frequencies were summarized as phenotypic distances using the mean measure of divergence (MMD). Published distance matrices for autosomal, mtDNA, and Y-chromosomal <i>F</i>_ST, together with geographic and lexical distances, were analyzed using Mantel and partial Mantel tests, multiple regression on distance matrices (MRM), and Procrustes superimposition of two-dimensional PCoA configurations. In simple Mantel tests, MMD showed positive associations with all comparison matrices. Lexical distance exhibited the strongest unadjusted association, autosomal and mtDNA <i>F</i>_ST showed intermediate correspondence, and Y-chromosomal <i>F</i>_ST and geographic distance showed weaker associations. When geographic distance was included as a covariate, associations with autosomal and mtDNA structure persisted, whereas correspondence with Y-chromosomal variation was not supported. Across adjusted and multivariate analyses, autosomal <i>F</i>_ST showed the most consistent support in this sample. Procrustes comparisons revealed substantial concordance between MMD and autosomal configurations, weaker concordance with mtDNA, and no statistically supported concordance with Y-chromosomal structure. Cranial nonmetric variation therefore shows differential concordance with genetic structure across marker systems: correspondence is strongest with genome-wide autosomal differentiation, weaker and less consistent with mtDNA differentiation, and not robustly supported for Y-chromosomal differentiation once geographic and lexical distances are included as covariates. These results indicate that cranial nonmetric traits can capture broad patterns of population affinity without providing a direct reconstruction of demographic mechanisms. From an osteoarcheological perspective, they remain a useful line of evidence for reconstructing regional population affinities when genetic data are incomplete, unavailable, or unevenly sampled.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"36 4","pages":"883-893"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148700092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploitation of Rabbits at the Dawn of the Holocene: Evidence From the Font Voltada Site (Northeastern Iberia) Using Comparative Neotaphonomic Models","authors":"Nadihuska Y. Rosado-Méndez,&nbsp;Jordi Nadal,&nbsp;Lluís Lloveras","doi":"10.1002/oa.70134","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70134","url":null,"abstract":"<p>During the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene, hunter-gatherer societies in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula increased the number of settlements and broadened their subsistence strategies. This period is marked by the appearance of terrestrial snail accumulations attributable to human harvesting, the expansion of specialized Spanish ibex hunting in mountainous areas and a notable intensification in the exploitation of small prey. Among the most characteristic faunal records of this time are large assemblages dominated by rabbit remains, whose predominantly anthropogenic origin has been demonstrated through taphonomic analyses. This study presents the archaeozoological and taphonomic results from the Epipaleolithic level (10,920 ± 240 <span>BP</span>) of Font Voltada (Sarral, Tarragona, northeastern Iberia). Although the assemblage includes a diverse faunal spectrum, more than 97% of the remains belong to rabbits. Comparative analysis with neotaphonomic models indicates that the accumulation is primarily anthropogenic. The assemblage is characterized by a high degree of fragmentation, frequent fresh-bone breakage, and extensive thermal alteration, pointing to systematic on-site processing and intensive consumption of rabbit carcasses. The Font Voltada evidence reinforces the interpretation of mass rabbit procurement as a widespread and highly specialized subsistence strategy during the Epipaleolithic in Mediterranean Iberia, reflecting broader economic transformations associated with the Pleistocene–Holocene transition.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"36 4","pages":"865-882"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.70134","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148699873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Asymmetrical Steps: Osteomorphological and Metric Patterns of Cattle Phalanges to Determine Anatomical Position","authors":"Audrey Crabbé,&nbsp;Willemien de Kock,&nbsp;Canan Çakırlar","doi":"10.1002/oa.70145","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70145","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study presents a reproducible framework for identifying the anatomical position of cattle phalanges, integrating both morphological and osteometric approaches for application to modern and zooarchaeological assemblages. The dataset comprises 1853 phalanges from 106 individuals with known and unknown phalangeal position representing multiple breeds, ages, sexes, and functions from four modern reference collections. Morphological criteria of first, second, and third phalanges from previous studies were systematically tested for accuracy, whereas osteometric data were analyzed using multivariate models, including LASSO-regularized logistic regression. The models were trained and validated through repeated fivefold cross-validation and tested on independent datasets of phalanges with unknown position. In parallel, pathologies were assessed and quantified using the Pathological Index (PI) and Refined Pathological Index (PIr) to evaluate their impact on position determination. Results indicate that nonmetric morphology provides the most reliable method for determining phalangeal position, with osteometric data offering supporting evidence, especially for anterior–posterior position determination. Pathologies generally have no to little influence on diagnostic traits, although severe lesions, especially for the first phalanges, can compromise the accuracy of the identification. This study allows for an accurate determination of phalangeal position in both modern reference collections and zooarchaeological datasets where mixed deposits obscure the original anatomical position. In zooarchaeology, the accurate determination of phalangeal position contributes to more reliable differentiation of bovid species, improved MNI estimations, and the assessment of sexual dimorphism, thereby aiding reconstructions of herd composition and cattle exploitation strategies, which shed much light on significant processes such as domestication and economic intensification. Furthermore, this paper also provides an accessible manual with flowcharts of diagnostic morphological characteristics, digital drawings, and analytical tools to facilitate the standardized and user-friendly application across collections.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"36 4","pages":"1013-1025"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.70145","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148699935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Imbalanced Sex Ratios in Sex Estimation Using Probabilistic Sex Diagnosis (Diagnose Sexuelle Probabiliste [DSP]): Implications for Paleodemographic Interpretations","authors":"Samuel Bédécarrats,&nbsp;Frédéric Santos,&nbsp;Tereza Galovičová,&nbsp;Frédérique Blaizot,&nbsp;Fanny Chenal,&nbsp;Marie-France Deguilloux,&nbsp;Yves Gleize,&nbsp;Sacha Kacki,&nbsp;Mélanie Pruvost,&nbsp;Hélène Réveillas,&nbsp;Stéphane Rottier,&nbsp;Aminte Thomann,&nbsp;Aline Thomas,&nbsp;Ivy Thomson,&nbsp;Sébastien Villotte,&nbsp;Jaroslav Brůžek","doi":"10.1002/oa.70143","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70143","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study investigates biases in sex estimation using the DSP (Diagnose Sexuelle Probabiliste—Probabilistic Sex Diagnosis) method in bioarchaeological contexts. The aim is to assess whether this method overperforms in estimating one of the sexes and to explore the implications for palaeodemographic interpretations. A meta-analysis was conducted using data from 32 archaeological and current populations (<i>n</i> = 2303), spanning prehistoric to modern times. DSP-based sex estimations were compared with results from medical analytical, genetic, and alternative osteological methods. In the DSP reference data, morphological variability was analyzed through principal component analysis of pelvic measurements, and classification methods were evaluated using both linear discriminant analysis and random forest modeling. Findings reveal a consistent overestimation of female representation in sex ratios when using DSP, particularly in prehistoric and contemporary populations. This bias is linked to population-level differences in sexual dimorphism, especially in the IIMT and SPU pelvic dimensions. The proportion of indeterminate individuals—most often male—varied by population, with European samples showing more male indeterminates and North American samples showing more female indeterminates. The study confirms a systematic sex classification bias within DSP applications, driven by both statistical and morphological factors. These distortions can mislead interpretations of population structures, funerary practices, and mortality patterns. Corrective approaches, such as redistributing indeterminate individuals or calculating confidence intervals for sex ratios, are proposed. Further research into population-specific dimorphism and complementary methods is recommended to improve reliability in sex estimation for population-based studies.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"36 4","pages":"970-983"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148700055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying the Use of Mercury as a Medicine in Skeletal Remains From Ancient Societies","authors":"Piers D. Mitchell,&nbsp;Robin Bendrey","doi":"10.1002/oa.70152","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70152","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;Mercury has a long history as a medicine in different cultures across the world (Swiderski &lt;span&gt;2008&lt;/span&gt;). Although this trace element is not required in normal human physiological processes, it can be absorbed into the body during life and be incorporated into the skeletal system. For example, mercury can substitute for calcium ions in hydroxyapatite in bone (Simpson et al. &lt;span&gt;2021&lt;/span&gt;). Therefore, we might expect to find evidence for the medicinal use of mercury in the skeletal remains of past populations. However, identifying the origin of raised levels of a physiologically unexpected element is not always easy. High levels of mercury in bones might indicate deliberate use of mercury as a medicine, environmental exposure during life due to pollution, or postmortem burial decoration with cinnabar (mercury sulfide) as part of funerary ritual (Emslie et al. &lt;span&gt;2015&lt;/span&gt;; Yamada et al. &lt;span&gt;1995&lt;/span&gt;). Determining the cause requires consideration of whether the raised levels are in just some or all individuals in a population, whether raised levels are in humans alone or in animals and the environment as well, and the presence of associated industrial contexts such as a mine, smelting facilities, ceramic manufacture, or pigment manufacture where that element could be used. In time periods where written medical texts survive, then mention of mercury compounds in treatments also supports a potential medical interpretation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In a study of populations from Roman period (first to fourth century &lt;span&gt;ce&lt;/span&gt;) and early medieval (fifth to seventh century &lt;span&gt;ce&lt;/span&gt;) Spain, environmental pollution from mining and industry was proposed as the most likely cause for high mercury levels as raised levels were widespread in the population (Álvarez-Fernández et al. &lt;span&gt;2020&lt;/span&gt;). However, in a Royal Navy hospital cemetery functioning from 1793 to 1822 in the Caribbean island of Antigua, one of 17 skeletons tested for trace element analysis showed high levels of mercury in the bone. As only one individual had raised mercury levels, and then only in a localized subset of osteons, this suggests that the sailor had a past treatment with mercury (potentially for syphilis or yellow fever) and that it was not environmental contamination (Swanston et al. &lt;span&gt;2015&lt;/span&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Where skeletal lesions are present on the bones that can be caused by diseases known to have been treated with medicines made from minerals, then detecting those minerals in the bones gives much greater confidence in how we might interpret the origin. For example, a number of studies have shown raised levels of mercury in the excavated skeletal remains of individuals exhibiting lesions compatible with syphilis (Kepa et al. &lt;span&gt;2012&lt;/span&gt;; Tucker &lt;span&gt;2007&lt;/span&gt;; Biehler-Gomez et al. &lt;span&gt;2022&lt;/span&gt;). The remains of a child with rickets and possible scurvy from 18th- to 19th-century France were found to have high levels of mercury, thought to be due ","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"36 4","pages":"831-832"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.70152","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148699914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Next-Generation Paleopathology: Using Commercial AI in Bioarchaeological Diagnosis","authors":"Jessica Mongillo,&nbsp;Giulia Vescovo,&nbsp;Giulia Manzo,&nbsp;Nicoletta Zedda,&nbsp;Barbara Bramanti","doi":"10.1002/oa.70129","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70129","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Artificial intelligence encompasses computational systems capable of performing cognitive functions such as learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. Within this domain, generative AI and large language models such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot have shown significant potential in clinical diagnostics. Their capacity to generate structured differential diagnoses, integrate radiological criteria, and synthesize complex information underscores their transformative potential. Despite extensive validation in modern medical disciplines, their application in paleopathology, defined as the study of ancient disease through skeletal bones, remains unexplored. This study assessed the diagnostic performance of three commercial AI systems (ChatGPT 5.0 Plus, Gemini 2.5 Flash, and Copilot 365) in two archaeological cases presenting distinct osseous lesions. Diagnostic outcomes were compared with interpretations by three expert anthropologists to evaluate concordance and reliability. Complete agreement was achieved for the diagnosis of a spinal lesion, whereas partial agreement was observed for a patellar lesion. The findings demonstrate that AI systems can generate plausible differential diagnoses but also highlight variability in interpretive reasoning and prompt sensitivity. Differences among platforms suggest distinct conceptual frameworks in diagnostic inference. Although current AI tools cannot replace expert assessment, their integration into paleopathology may enhance diagnostic reproducibility, encourage interdisciplinary dialogue, and support the development of domain-specific datasets to improve future model accuracy and reliability.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"36 4","pages":"844-858"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.70129","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148699930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ZooMS Analysis of Archaeological Bone Tools From the South American Lowlands in the Paraná Basin: New Insights Into Taxonomic Attribution","authors":"Natacha Buc,&nbsp;Alejandro Acosta,&nbsp;Daniel Loponte,&nbsp;Lucía T. Rombolá,&nbsp;Lindsey Paskulin,&nbsp;Jay Hilsden,&nbsp;Camilla Speller","doi":"10.1002/oa.70127","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70127","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>During the Late Holocene, hunter-gatherers in the Lower Paraná wetland crafted a wide variety of bone tools. Although traditionally assumed as standardized, recently we found certain morphological, stylistic, and technological variability. Traditional taxonomic identifications based on morphology identified mainly the use of local deer species, but also camelids from the Pampas and non-dietary carnivore species were detected as secondary bone materials. However, morphological identifications of bone tools are limited due to artifact manufacturing processes. In this study, we applied Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), a collagen-based method, to identify otherwise undetectable species. Our results reveal a broader raw material spectrum, including a total of 13 identified lamoid bones over a sample of 32 tools. These findings enhance understanding of bone technology, territorial mobility, and resource exploitation in South American lowland hunter-gatherers and highlight the potential of proteomics for archaeological studies in underrepresented regions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"36 4","pages":"833-843"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148699925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Swimming Upriver? Exploring the Sources of Freshwater and Marine Fish in Military Diet in Sixteenth- to Nineteenth-Century Northeastern North America","authors":"Martin H. Welker,&nbsp;Suzanne Needs-Howarth,&nbsp;Eréndira M. Quintana Morales","doi":"10.1002/oa.70136","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70136","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Atlantic cod were caught in large numbers and shipped from fishing stations in North America to Europe and the Caribbean, and this has been frequently studied zooarchaeologically; however, the exchange of cod and other fish into interior North America has received less study. Cod, haddock, Atlantic herring, and Atlantic mackerel remains occur in small numbers in faunal assemblages from military sites in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, revealing that these fish were traded up the St. Lawrence River. Freshwater fish remains identified on some of these sites reveal that they were caught or traded for in substantial quantities and provided an important protein source. No Atlantic cod or other marine fish were identified in assemblages upriver from the Niagara Falls, suggesting that the falls served as a natural barrier, separating two trade networks.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"36 4","pages":"984-1012"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.70136","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148699934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling Saint Theobald: A Multidisciplinary Bioanthropological Investigation","authors":"Nicola Carrara,&nbsp;Cicero Moraes,&nbsp;Luca Bezzi,&nbsp;Alberto Zanatta,&nbsp;Luca Pagani,&nbsp;Gilberto Artioli,&nbsp;Cinzia Scaggion","doi":"10.1002/oa.70142","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70142","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Saint Theobald of Provins (1033–1066), a French nobleman who embraced voluntary poverty, hermitism, and pilgrimage, represents an early figure in the medieval ascetic movement. He holds historical significance for the diffusion of 11th-century ascetic ideals, as a hermit saint associated with the Camaldolese order and venerated across northern Italy and France. His remains, preserved in the church of Saint Giovanni Battista in Badia Polesine (Italy), have been investigated to authenticate them and reconstruct his appearance and health status. Cranial paleopathological lesions may be compatible with leprosy (<i>Mycobacterium leprae</i>), although not pathognomonic. The absence of endogenous pathogen DNA and the fragmentary postcranial skeleton require us to be cautious, as alternative chronic infectious processes cannot be excluded. Anthropological data, historical documentation, and radiocarbon dating support the plausibility of the association with Saint Theobald. The craniofacial approximation excluded pathological lesions to avoid speculation, and phenotypic elements traits such as pigmentation, hair, and eyes remain hypothetical in the absence of aDNA.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"36 4","pages":"945-953"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.70142","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148699965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Sheep Project (3): A Review of Age-at-Death Estimation From Mandible Stage Schemes in the Light of a High Resolution Known-Age Shetland Sheep Dataset","authors":"Fay Worley,&nbsp;Polydora Baker,&nbsp;Andy Hammon,&nbsp;Gillian G. Jones,&nbsp;Peter Popkin","doi":"10.1002/oa.70105","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.70105","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The largest published dataset of sheep (<i>Ovis aries</i>) cheek tooth wear recorded from known-age skeletonized mandibles is presented, with raw data disseminated as a supplement. The dataset has previously been used to investigate the influence of sex, nutrition, and breeding status on dental maturation (eruption and wear of individual teeth). Here, complemented by published tooth wear datasets from the same breed, it is employed to supplement implementation of categorical mandible stage aging systems embedded in zooarchaeological research. We age-benchmark mandible stages, highlight where those within each system are comparable, and consider the implications of our data for zooarchaeological interpretation. Here we also publish a complete set of Jones' sheep mandible stages as a supplement, which includes previously unpublished stages and their frequency in her multi-breed observations from live sheep.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"36 4","pages":"1026-1046"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.70105","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148699993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}