Identifying the Minimum Number of Subadult Individuals in Grave 6 of the Wadi Faynan 100 Cemetery, Jordan

Abstract

Estimating the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) in commingled and fragmentary assemblages is particularly difficult for subadults, whose remains are often fragile and incomplete. This thesis applies a modified Landmark System to the subadult assemblage from Grave 6 at Wadi Faynan 100, an Early Bronze Age IB site in southern Jordan, to subadult MNI estimation. The analysis identified a minimum of 22 subadults, ranging from perinatal to late adolescence. These findings demonstrate the value of the Landmark System for subadult remains, expanding the methodological toolkit available for osteologists working with highly fragmentary collections. Beyond methodology, this study contributes to understanding Early Bronze Age mortuary practice in the southern Levant.