Papers by Marta Barszcz-Boniczewska
Forensic Sciences Research, 2025
Age at death is one of the key elements of the "biological profile" prepared when analysing unide... more Age at death is one of the key elements of the "biological profile" prepared when analysing unidentified human remains. Biological age is determined according to physiological indicators and developmental stage, which can be determined by bone assessment. It is worth remembering that the researcher must interpret each case individually and in accordance with the current state of knowledge. One of the most developed tools for analysing human remains is postmortem computed tomography. This allows for the visualization not only of bones without maceration but also of the entire body under various altered states, including corpses in advanced stages of decomposition and burnt bodies. The aim of this review is to present the current methods for age estimation based on postmortem computed tomography evaluation, comparing the results presented in 18 research projects published between 2013 and 2023 on foetuses, children, and adults from contemporary populations. Recent literature includes assessment of bones and characteristics such as skulls, teeth, vertebrae, pelvises, and long bones to estimate age at death. We cover the methods used in this recent literature, including machine learning, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of them. Key points • Postmortem computed tomography allows the analysis of several areas of the body at the same time, which may not be possible in the case of clinical trials (where the examination area should be limited). • Postmortem computed tomography may enable the collection of data from people whose clinical examinations are relatively rare (e.g., pregnant women, children). • Artificial intelligence should increasingly be used in studies on age estimation. • Further research on modern populations is necessary to verify and refine the methods used to estimate age at death.
Unveiling Hunnic legacy: Decoding elite presence in Poland through a unique child’s burial with modified cranium
Journal of archaeological science: Reports/Journal of archaeological science: reports, Jun 1, 2024
This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Ind... more This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Individual I, aged 7–9, and Individual II, aged 8–9 with a skull deformation, were both genetically identified as boys. Individual II, who exhibited genetic affinity to present day Asian populations, was equipped with gold and silver items. In contrast, Individual I displayed European ancestry. The application of strontium isotope analysis shed light on the origins of the individuals. Individual I was non-local, while Individual II was identified as a local, but also falling within the range commonly associated with the Pannonian Plain. Stable isotope analysis suggested a diet consisting of inland resources. Through radiocarbon dating, this burial was determined to date back to the years 395–418 CE, making it the earliest grave of its kind discovered in Poland. The analyses have provided new insights into the nature of the relationship between the Huns and the local inhabitants.
Analysis of various radiological age-assessment methods in children, adolescents and young adults regarding the differences between the sexes and sides of the body – A comparative review
Legal Medicine
Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology
This paper presents a retrospective analysis of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) scans of se... more This paper presents a retrospective analysis of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) scans of secondary ossification centers in the medial clavicular epiphysis, iliac crest apophysis, proximal humeral epiphysis, distal femoral epiphysis, proximal tibial epiphysis, and distal tibial epiphysis. At the same time, we analyzed PMCT scans of the maxillary and mandibular incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. We assessed 203 corpses, whose age ranged from 2 to 30 years, including 156 males and 47 females. The purpose of our study was to compare the processes of secondary ossification center fusion and permanent tooth maturation. Our research hypothesis was that certain stages of skeletal and dental maturation occur along consistent timelines that can be related to the chronological age. Secondary ossification center fusion was evaluated based on Kreitner and also McKern and Steward’s classifications. The process of permanent tooth maturation was evaluated with Demirjian’s method. Spear...
Complete sagittal suture closure evaluation based on post mortem computed tomography
Legal Medicine
Age assessment at the time of death is of great importance when an unidentified skeleton or corps... more Age assessment at the time of death is of great importance when an unidentified skeleton or corpse is found. Obliteration of cranial sutures has been used for age assessment regarding anthropology as non - metrical method of direct bone inspection. The aim of our study was to assess sagittal suture closure in the contemporary population of Polish men using postmortem computed tomography. A total of 255 male skulls were analyzed with the use of multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) and volume rendering technique (VRT) images, which were based on whole-body postmortem computed tomography scans. The individuals of Polish origin were of precisely known metrical age. The sagittal sutures were analyzed across their entire thickness (including both the outer and inner aspect of bone) and along their entire length via frontal sections, using the sagittal suture division into 4 segments. This study showed that the earliest signs of suture closure occur in S4 on the inner side of the calvaria at a mean age of 50.48 years, but the youngest person with starting obliteration process was 13.37 years. This is prove that exist variability which must be count during biological age estimation. Additionally, VRT visualisation shows that the fourth state of obliteration does not mean that obliteration was ended. Further analyses of cranial suture closure are needed to obtain reliable methods for postmortem estimation of the age at the time of death in contemporary populations. The use of postmortem computed tomography may offer additional opportunities for contemporary analysis of skeletal material.
International Journal of Legal Medicine
This article is a retrospective analysis of postmortem computed tomography scans of ossification ... more This article is a retrospective analysis of postmortem computed tomography scans of ossification stages of the anterior and posterior intra-occipital sutures, the anterior arch of the atlas, and the neurocentral junction of the axis. We also analyzed the development of secondary ossification centers in the proximal humeral, femoral, and tibial epiphyses, and the distal femoral and tibial epiphyses. Additionally, the development of primary ossification centers in the wrist and metacarpals, and maxillary and mandibular deciduous tooth maturation. A total of 58 cadavers (35 males, 23 females), whose age ranged from 3rd month of pregnancy to 14 years, were analyzed. The results of this study show that analysis of synchondrosis closure, primary, and secondary ossification center development and deciduous tooth changes are a good tool for age estimation in subadults group (fetuses, newborns, infants, and children). The results of the study in a Polish population are consistent with those ...
Examining an Already Autopsied or Exhumed Body
Essentials of Autopsy Practice, 2022
The fusion of ossification centers – A comparative review of radiographic and other imaging modalities of age assessment in living groups of children, adolescents, and young adults
Legal Medicine
A total of 227 articles published within the last twenty years, indexed in the PUBMED and Researc... more A total of 227 articles published within the last twenty years, indexed in the PUBMED and Researchgate databases, were reviewed for the purpose of comparing medical imaging-based methods of age estimation. The evaluated studies were analyzed in terms of the assessed parts of the body, age, and epiphyseal fusion ages in children, adolescents, and young adults. Our analysis showed that an overwhelming majority of studies had been based on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. A comparison of the studies showed that, irrespective of the imaging modality and the nationality of study population cohorts, the rates of development and the ages at which the process of ossification begins and ends show certain trends.
Saeculum Christianum
Prymas A. I. Komorowski chciał, aby jego ciało zostało złożone w Łowiczu, a wnętrzności w Skierni... more Prymas A. I. Komorowski chciał, aby jego ciało zostało złożone w Łowiczu, a wnętrzności w Skierniewicach. Podczas analizy antropologicznej szkieletu zaobserwowano zmiany chorobowe oraz ślady po usunięciu tkanek miękkich. Obserwacje te znajdują potwierdzenie w źródłach pisanych i ikonograficznych; stały się też podstawą do rekonstrukcji twarzy prymasa. Ekstrakcja narządów wewnętrznych stała się podstawą do prześledzenia praktyk tanatopraktycznych w Polsce.
Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, 2023
This paper presents a retrospective analysis of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) scans of se... more This paper presents a retrospective analysis of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) scans of secondary ossification centers in the medial clavicular epiphysis, iliac crest apophysis, proximal humeral epiphysis, distal femoral epiphysis, proximal tibial epiphysis, and distal tibial epiphysis. At the same time, we analyzed PMCT scans of the maxillary and mandibular incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. We assessed 203 corpses, whose age ranged from 2 to 30 years, including 156 males and 47 females. The purpose of our study was to compare the processes of secondary ossification center fusion and permanent tooth maturation. Our research hypothesis was that certain stages of skeletal and dental maturation occur along consistent timelines that can be related to the chronological age. Secondary ossification center fusion was evaluated based on Kreitner and also McKern and Steward's classifications. The process of permanent tooth maturation was evaluated with Demirjian's method. Spearman's correlation coefficients (Rho) were positive in all analyses, which indicates that epiphyseal fusion progresses with age. The strongest relationship between the age and the stages of ossification was observed in the proximal tibial epiphysis (p < 0.001; Rho = 0.93) in females and in the medial clavicular epiphysis (p < 0.001; Rho = 0.77) in males. Studies show the importance of concomitant analysis of skeletal and dental maturation with a subsequent comparison of the results to achieve a greater precision in age estimation. A comparison of the results obtained in the study population of Polish children, adolescents, and young adults with the results of other studies in populations of similar ages showed a number of similarities in the time windows of dental and skeletal maturation. These similarities may help in age estimation.
International Journal of Legal Medicine, 2023
This article is a retrospective analysis of postmortem computed tomography scans of ossification ... more This article is a retrospective analysis of postmortem computed tomography scans of ossification stages of the anterior and posterior intra-occipital sutures, the anterior arch of the atlas, and the neurocentral junction of the axis. We also analyzed the development of secondary ossification centers in the proximal humeral, femoral, and tibial epiphyses, and the distal femoral and tibial epiphyses. Additionally, the development of primary ossification centers in the wrist and metacarpals, and maxillary and mandibular deciduous tooth maturation. A total of 58 cadavers (35 males, 23 females), whose age ranged from 3rd month of pregnancy to 14 years, were analyzed. The results of this study show that analysis of synchondrosis closure, primary, and secondary ossification center development and deciduous tooth changes are a good tool for age estimation in subadults group (fetuses, newborns, infants, and children). The results of the study in a Polish population are consistent with those reported by other authors.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 56 (2024) 104563 Available online 1 May 2024 2352-409X/© 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Unveiling Hunnic legacy: Decoding elite presence in Poland through a unique child’s burial with modified cranium, 2024
This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Ind... more This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Individual I, aged
7–9, and Individual II, aged 8–9 with a skull deformation, were both genetically identified as boys. Individual II,
who exhibited genetic affinity to present day Asian populations, was equipped with gold and silver items. In
contrast, Individual I displayed European ancestry. The application of strontium isotope analysis shed light on
the origins of the individuals. Individual I was non-local, while Individual II was identified as a local, but also
falling within the range commonly associated with the Pannonian Plain. Stable isotope analysis suggested a diet
consisting of inland resources. Through radiocarbon dating, this burial was determined to date back to the years
395–418 CE, making it the earliest grave of its kind discovered in Poland. The analyses have provided new
insights into the nature of the relationship between the Huns and the local inhabitants.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2024
This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Ind... more This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Individual I, aged 7–9, and Individual II, aged 8–9 with a skull deformation, were both genetically identified as boys. Individual II, who exhibited genetic affinity to present day Asian populations, was equipped with gold and silver items. In contrast, Individual I displayed European ancestry. The application of strontium isotope analysis shed light on the origins of the individuals. Individual I was non-local, while Individual II was identified as a local, but also falling within the range commonly associated with the Pannonian Plain. Stable isotope analysis suggested a diet consisting of inland resources. Through radiocarbon dating, this burial was determined to date back to the years 395–418 CE, making it the earliest grave of its kind discovered in Poland. The analyses have provided new insights into the nature of the relationship between the Huns and the local inhabitants.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2024
This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Ind... more This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Individual I, aged 7–9, and Individual II, aged 8–9 with a skull deformation, were both genetically identified as boys. Individual II, who exhibited genetic affinity to present day Asian populations, was equipped with gold and silver items. In contrast, Individual I displayed European ancestry. The application of strontium isotope analysis shed light on the origins of the individuals. Individual I was non-local, while Individual II was identified as a local, but also falling within the range commonly associated with the Pannonian Plain. Stable isotope analysis suggested a diet consisting of inland resources. Through radiocarbon dating, this burial was determined to date back to the years 395–418 CE, making it the earliest grave of its kind discovered in Poland. The analyses have provided new insights into the nature of the relationship between the Huns and the local inhabitants.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2024
This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Ind... more This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Individual I, aged 7–9, and Individual II, aged 8–9 with a skull deformation, were both genetically identified as boys. Individual II, who exhibited genetic affinity to present day Asian populations, was equipped with gold and silver items. In contrast, Individual I displayed European ancestry. The application of strontium isotope analysis shed light on the origins of the individuals. Individual I was non-local, while Individual II was identified as a local, but also falling within the range commonly associated with the Pannonian Plain. Stable isotope analysis suggested a diet consisting of inland resources. Through radiocarbon dating, this burial was determined to date back to the years 395–418 CE, making it the earliest grave of its kind discovered in Poland. The analyses have provided new insights into the nature of the relationship between the Huns and the local inhabitants.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2024
This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Ind... more This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Individual I, aged 7–9, and Individual II, aged 8–9 with a skull deformation, were both genetically identified as boys. Individual II, who exhibited genetic affinity to present day Asian populations, was equipped with gold and silver items. In contrast, Individual I displayed European ancestry. The application of strontium isotope analysis shed light on the origins of the individuals. Individual I was non-local, while Individual II was identified as a local, but also falling within the range commonly associated with the Pannonian Plain. Stable isotope analysis suggested a diet consisting of inland resources. Through radiocarbon dating, this burial was determined to date back to the years 395–418 CE, making it the earliest grave of its kind discovered in Poland. The analyses have provided new insights into the nature of the relationship between the Huns and the local inhabitants.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2024
This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Ind... more This article presents a double burial from Czulice indicating elements of the Hunnic culture. Individual I, aged 7–9, and Individual II, aged 8–9 with a skull deformation, were both genetically identified as boys. Individual II, who exhibited genetic affinity to present day Asian populations, was equipped with gold and silver items. In contrast, Individual I displayed European ancestry. The application of strontium isotope analysis shed light on the origins of the individuals. Individual I was non-local, while Individual II was identified as a local, but also falling within the range commonly associated with the Pannonian Plain. Stable isotope analysis suggested a diet consisting of inland resources. Through radiocarbon dating, this burial was determined to date back to the years 395–418 CE, making it the earliest grave of its kind discovered in Poland. The analyses have provided new insights into the nature of the relationship between the Huns and the local inhabitants.
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Papers by Marta Barszcz-Boniczewska
7–9, and Individual II, aged 8–9 with a skull deformation, were both genetically identified as boys. Individual II,
who exhibited genetic affinity to present day Asian populations, was equipped with gold and silver items. In
contrast, Individual I displayed European ancestry. The application of strontium isotope analysis shed light on
the origins of the individuals. Individual I was non-local, while Individual II was identified as a local, but also
falling within the range commonly associated with the Pannonian Plain. Stable isotope analysis suggested a diet
consisting of inland resources. Through radiocarbon dating, this burial was determined to date back to the years
395–418 CE, making it the earliest grave of its kind discovered in Poland. The analyses have provided new
insights into the nature of the relationship between the Huns and the local inhabitants.