Which aging method uses the auricular surface of the ilium to estimate age?

• A. The Suchey-Brooks pubic symphyseal aging method
• B. The Trotter-Gleser long bone aging method
• C. The Lovejoy auricular surface aging method
• D. The Dentition eruption aging method

Answer: (C)

The capability to estimate age from skeletal remains is tied to recognizing how different parts of the skeleton change with time, and this method focuses on the pelvis. Specifically, the auricular surface of the ilium—the part that meets the sacrum at the sacroiliac joint—shows a predictable sequence of age-related changes. As a person ages, this surface becomes increasingly rough and porous, develops pits and fissures, and undergoes remodeling that alters its contour. These observable changes are organized into a scoring system that maps surface appearance to approximate age ranges, making it possible to estimate age-at-death when the pelvis is well preserved.

This is why the auricular surface aging method is the correct choice: it is the approach that directly uses the ilium’s auricular surface to gauge age. Other methods target different indicators—pubic surface changes (not the auricular surface) for age estimation, long bone age indicators, or tooth eruption and wear—so they do not rely on the ilium’s auricular surface.