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Abstract

Universities of the Third Age (U3As) empower older adults through tailored lifelong learning programs, which significantly grew in Europe and worldwide since the 1970s. In Spain, these programs foster active aging through cultural and scientific engagement. This study examines a workshop within the Programa Interuniversitario de la Experiencia in Burgos, focusing on age estimation and paleopathology in bioarchaeological contexts.

The workshop addressed the challenge of accurately determining the age of individuals from skeletal remains, particularly older adults, whose representation in the archaeological record is often limited. This underrepresentation affects our understanding of past reproductive patterns and life histories. To tackle this, a theoretical-practical workshop was conducted with 49 students, employing original skeletal elements from the San José Cemetery in Burgos.

The workshop's aims included distinguishing age categories via dental and skeletal analysis, identifying age-related pathologies, and understanding the scarcity of older adults in archaeological records. The workshop consisted of an introduction to age estimation methods and pathologies, hands-on analysis of original materials, and a concluding survey. In conclusion, our results suggest that this workshop represents a successful educational strategy for lifelong learning programs targeting older adults. Through the integration of theoretical content, practical engagement, and critical reflection on biological aging and archaeological interpretation, the initiative responds effectively to the learning styles and needs commonly associated with this age group.

Please note that this article includes images of human remains.

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