Establishing the paleodemography of S: t Nicolai High Medieval cemetery - An evaluation study of the Transition Analysis 3 method
(2021) ARKM23 20211Historical Osteology
- Abstract
- Paleodemography is the study of evaluating and reconstructing ancient populations
based on the processes of fertility, mortality and migration. In addition, structural variables such as life expectancy, population distribution and population density are included in order to calculate the demography of a given population at a given time. The paleodemographic processes and variables are all dependent on the factors of age and biological sex. Methodology in osteological age estimation has traditionally been unable of estimating accurate ages in older adult individuals, however, developments in the field has yielded improved methods, Transition Analysis 3 being one of these. Transition Analysis 3 uses machine learning, basing the results on... (More) - Paleodemography is the study of evaluating and reconstructing ancient populations
based on the processes of fertility, mortality and migration. In addition, structural variables such as life expectancy, population distribution and population density are included in order to calculate the demography of a given population at a given time. The paleodemographic processes and variables are all dependent on the factors of age and biological sex. Methodology in osteological age estimation has traditionally been unable of estimating accurate ages in older adult individuals, however, developments in the field has yielded improved methods, Transition Analysis 3 being one of these. Transition Analysis 3 uses machine learning, basing the results on regression analysis rather than age mimicry that automates analytical model building. The method has proven greater
ability in estimating adult older ages than traditional methods. Traditional methods often use single trait assessment while Transition Analysis 3 use multi trait assessment, making it usable for taphonomically challenged skeletons. Transition Analysis 3 has since its development in the early 2000’s been revised and improved twice and the third and most recent version has not yet undergone public extensive testing. Transition Analysis 3 is applied in this study for the purpose of testing the third version of the method as a mean to establish the paleodemography of S: t Nicolai cemetery in 13th- 14th century CE Helsingborg. The age of 75 individuals were assessed, 67 of which by using the Transition Analysis 3 method. The results of the age estimations using Transition Analysis 3 indicate that life expectancies were higher than previously reported in European Medieval populations. The paleodemography of the cemetery indicates that the individuals represent a constructed populatory composition stemming from socioeconomic factors and institutionalized burials rather than those of a typical parish. The evaluation of the Transition Analysis 3 method demonstrates validatory methodological prerequisites, however, framework regarding inclusion critera might improve methodological usage and interpretation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9059016
- author
- Fritz, Sandra LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- ARKM23 20211
- year
- 2021
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Paleodemography, Transition Analysis, Middle Ages, Helsingborg, Osteology
- language
- English
- id
- 9059016
- date added to LUP
- 2021-10-01 10:48:14
- date last changed
- 2021-10-01 10:48:14
@misc{9059016,
abstract = {{Paleodemography is the study of evaluating and reconstructing ancient populations
based on the processes of fertility, mortality and migration. In addition, structural variables such as life expectancy, population distribution and population density are included in order to calculate the demography of a given population at a given time. The paleodemographic processes and variables are all dependent on the factors of age and biological sex. Methodology in osteological age estimation has traditionally been unable of estimating accurate ages in older adult individuals, however, developments in the field has yielded improved methods, Transition Analysis 3 being one of these. Transition Analysis 3 uses machine learning, basing the results on regression analysis rather than age mimicry that automates analytical model building. The method has proven greater
ability in estimating adult older ages than traditional methods. Traditional methods often use single trait assessment while Transition Analysis 3 use multi trait assessment, making it usable for taphonomically challenged skeletons. Transition Analysis 3 has since its development in the early 2000’s been revised and improved twice and the third and most recent version has not yet undergone public extensive testing. Transition Analysis 3 is applied in this study for the purpose of testing the third version of the method as a mean to establish the paleodemography of S: t Nicolai cemetery in 13th- 14th century CE Helsingborg. The age of 75 individuals were assessed, 67 of which by using the Transition Analysis 3 method. The results of the age estimations using Transition Analysis 3 indicate that life expectancies were higher than previously reported in European Medieval populations. The paleodemography of the cemetery indicates that the individuals represent a constructed populatory composition stemming from socioeconomic factors and institutionalized burials rather than those of a typical parish. The evaluation of the Transition Analysis 3 method demonstrates validatory methodological prerequisites, however, framework regarding inclusion critera might improve methodological usage and interpretation.}},
author = {{Fritz, Sandra}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Establishing the paleodemography of S: t Nicolai High Medieval cemetery - An evaluation study of the Transition Analysis 3 method}},
year = {{2021}},
}