I forwarded the article to a PhD statistician I know. His comment follows
the quote:

>> But archaeologists have become concerned about the reliability of these
>> estimates, following studies at sites where human remains were
accompanied
>> by documentary evidence of the true age of the skeletons. These have
hinted
>> that the ages of bones from young people are overestimates, while those
of
>> bones from elderly people are underestimates.
>
>This is a statistical phenomenon discovered by Francis Galton that is
>now called "regression to the mean". These archaeologists must have
>fallen asleep during that lecture in their introductory statistics
>classes. :-)
>
>Galton, F. (1886), "Regression towards mediocrity in hereditary
>stature," Journal of the Anthropological Institute, 15, 246-263


Laurie Brooke Adams     Colorsplash Farm   Apex NC USA
Spoiled rare-breed hens laying organic eggs in many colors