Tooth Wear Related to Marine Foraging,Agro‐Pastoralism and the Formative Transition on the Northern Chilean Coast

Occlusal surface wear scores were examined in a sample of 200 Formative period (1500 bc–ad 500) skeletons from the lower Azapa Valley in northwest Chile. Wear rate and plane (angle) were additionally evaluated using a subsample of paired first and second mandibular molars. The Formative period represents the transition from marine foraging to agro‐pastoral dependence in the region, and differences in oral pathology indicate that diet varied by site location (coast vs valley interior) but not by archaeological phase (early vs late). We predicted that occlusal wear would demonstrate similar patterns, resulting from differences in food consistency, and therefore hypothesised that in coastal groups consuming greater quantities of foraged foods, occlusal surfaces should wear faster and exhibit flat molar wear, whereas among valley interior groups consuming greater quantities of agro‐pastoral products, these should wear slower but exhibit more angled molar wear. Heavier posterior tooth wear was identified among coastal residents, but rate and angle of molar occlusal attrition did not differ significantly by location. Heavier overall wear and a steeper molar wear plane were identified during the early phase indicating that food consistency varied somewhat over the course of the Formative period. Overall, the results indicate that, although limited differences in tooth wear exist by site location, wear varied more over time likely reflecting a gradual transition from foraging to agro‐pastoral dependence in the lower Azapa Valley. Although oral health indicators point to differences in dietary investment by location, maintenance of a mixed subsistence economy likely sustained a comparative consistency of foodstuffs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The oldest human remains from the Beagle Channel region,Tierra del Fuego

The biohistory of the human peopling of the Fuegian Archipelago and the processes of biocultural adaptation and microdifferentiation of the ethnohistorical ‘canoe’ (‘sea nomad’) and ‘foot’ natives are poorly known. Here we report the oldest human remains of a ‘sea nomad’ native discovered so far in the Beagle Channel region. The specimen consists of a deciduous molar from the site of Imiwaia I, dated to 5870 ± 145 years BP. The microwear pattern indicates the consumption of hard food processed by long chewing cycles. The histomorphometric analysis shows the presence of at least three episodes of stress between 8 and 10.5 months after birth, and an unusually thin neonatal line, suggesting a mechanically non‐stressing birth event. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dental trauma and antemortem tooth loss in prehistoric Canary Islanders: prevalence and contributing factors

Differential diagnosis of the aetiology of antemortem tooth loss (AMTL) may yield important insights regarding patterns of behaviour in prehistoric peoples. Variation in the consistency of food due to its toughness and to food preparation methods is a primary factor in AMTL, with dental wear or caries a significant precipitating factor. Nutritional deficiency diseases, dental ablation for aesthetic or ritual reasons, and traumatic injury may also contribute to the frequency of AMTL. Systematic observations of dental pathology were conducted on crania and mandibles at the Museo Arqueologico de Tenerife. Observations of AMTL revealed elevated frequencies and remarkable aspects of tooth crown evulsion. This report documents a 9.0% overall rate of AMTL among the ancient inhabitants of the island of Tenerife in the Canary Archipelago. Sex‐specific tooth count rates of AMTL are 9.8% for males and 8.1% for females, and maxillary AMTL rates (10.2%) are higher than mandibular tooth loss rates (7.8%) Dental trauma makes a small but noticeable contribution to tooth loss among the Guanches, especially among males. In several cases of tooth crown evulsion, the dental root was retained in the alveolus, without periapical infection, and alveolar bone was in the initial stages of sequestering the dental root. In Tenerife, antemortem loss of maxillary anterior teeth is consistent with two potential causal factors: (a) accidental falls while traversing volcanic terrain; and (b) interpersonal combat, including traditional wrestling, stick‐fighting and ritual combat. Steep‐walled valleys (barrancos) and lava fields (malpaís) required agile locomotion and occasional vaulting with the aid of a wooden staff. Accidental falls involving facial injury may have contributed to AMTL. Traditional conflict resolution involved competitive wrestling (lucha canaria), stick‐fighting (juego del palo), and ritualised contests involving manual combat. These activities made a small but recognisable impact on anterior dental trauma and tooth loss. Inter‐personal behaviours of such intensity leave their mark on skeletal and dental remains, thereby providing insight into the lives and cultural traditions of the ancient Guanches. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tooth wear in two ancient populations of the Khazar Kaganat region in the Ukraine

Tooth wear is a common phenomenon in archaeological material. It has been related to the abrasiveness of diet and to the tribological attrition of teeth of individuals. Numerous investigations have been carried out in north and middle American samples as well as African anthropological material. Not much is known about tooth wear in European cultures. Eleven skulls from Chervona Gusarovka, and 14 skulls from the Upper Saltov sites of the Khazar Kaganat region (8th–10th centuries AD) in eastern Ukraine, with different diets were examined. A total of 208 teeth were studied for tooth wear, caries prevalence and periodontal status. Abrasion grades were determined according to a standardised classification and statistically evaluated. Periodontal status was measured using the distance between the enamel‐cementum junction and alveolar crest and the gingival attachment level respectively. Tooth wear was significantly different (P < 0.01) between the two populations. A low caries prevalence of 4.2% in the Chervona Gusarovka population and 1.7% in the Upper Saltov population was found. Significantly more alveolar crest bone resorption on the lingual side was found in the premolars and anterior teeth of the Chervona Gusarovka population. No significant differences were found regarding gingival attachment levels and gingival recession. It is concluded that the content and mode of food preparation influenced tooth wear, as reflected by the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal diseases in these ancient populations. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reference codes for wear states in the mandibular cheek teeth of sheep and goats

Reference codes are described for wear states in the mandibular cheek teeth of sheep and goats.     

Prehistoric hunting pressure estimated by the age composition of excavated sika deer (Cervus Nippon) using the annual layer of tooth cement

Age of excavated sika deer was determined not only by the cement-annuli method but also by the observation method to avoid unnecessary destruction of archaeological materials. The observation method is based on tooth replacement, wear index and the appearance of cervical lines on the molar teeth. Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to establish a criterion for the age determination of excavated mandibles. Then the annulation method was carried out for well-preserved specimens older than 3–5 years. The age composition of excavated deer mandibles seems to have changed through the Jomon Period. Age composition at the Torihama sites (the Early Jomon Period) was characterized by an abundance of aged individuals, showing a close similarity with that of the recent deer population under protected conditions. Deer from the Kidosaku and Yahagi sites (the Late Jomon Period) and the SambuUbayama site (the Latest Jomon Period) were composed mainly of deer younger than 5 years, which seems to correspond to that of the recent hunted population living under natural conditions in Hokkaido. These data suggest that the hunting pressure increased during the Late and Latest Jomon Periods and compares with the pressures on recent hunted populations of sika deer.     

Lead Isotope Analysis of Tooth Enamel from a Viking Age Mass Grave in Southern Britain and the Constraints it Places on the Origin of the Individuals

Lead analysis of tooth enamel from individuals recovered from a Viking Age burial pit in southern England provides further evidence for their childhood origins outside Britain. All except one of the men have very low Pb concentrations that exclude anthropogenic Pb exposure. Strontium and oxygen isotope compositions identify a core group of men who have Pb isotope compositions of ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb = 2.065 ± 0.021 (n = 20, 2SD) that, when compared with data from European soils, appear to exclude a childhood in the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden and Finland, whereas areas of Northern continental Europe cannot be excluded.     

Life and Death in Neolithic Southeastern Italy: The Strontium Isotopic Evidence

There is a strong relation between people's structured identities and their chemical biographies: these can reflect the way individuals choose to reside and/or move. The strontium isotope ratio (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) of skeletal remains is considered a useful proxy to assess residential mobility and social practices in past populations; however, so far, it has only occasionally been applied to prehistoric contexts in the Mediterranean. In this paper, we present ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr data of human and animal samples from several Neolithic sites in the Apulian Tavoliere (southeastern Italy), namely, Grotta Scaloria, Passo di Corvo, Masseria Candelaro and La Torretta/Poggio Imperiale. Data obtained from dental enamel reflect the local origin of the individuals and allowed us to differentiate function and meaning of the sites examined. In particular, within a generally homogeneous background of Sr signatures, the range of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr at Scaloria Cave is greater than at the other sites, with variation likely to be related to funerary practices. We interpret this as the evidence of the ritual use of the cave, which implied the gathering of people of different origin. The relative variation of the Sr signature among individuals, either intersite or intrasite can be tentatively associated with mobility during life as well as with social practices, such as access to foods from geologically different environments. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Case of Early Childhood Caries from Late Roman Ancaster,England

This paper presents a differential diagnosis of pathological changes observed in the deciduous dentition of a child aged 3–4 years, recovered from a Late Roman (c. ad 270–410) cemetery at Ancaster, England. The entire maxillary dentition exhibited areas of missing enamel and erosion of the underlying dentine, which was most pronounced at the lingual surfaces of the anterior teeth, and lingual and occlusal surfaces of the molars. Additionally, the mandibular second molars and mandibular right first molar displayed superficial enamel erosion of the buccal surfaces. Radiography indicated normal enamel density, and no further dental pathology was identified. Conditions considered in a differential diagnosis included amelogenesis imperfecta, fluorosis, perimolysis, xerostomia‐related caries and early childhood caries (ECC). The nature and distribution of lesions implicates ECC – also known as ‘nursing caries’ or ‘baby‐bottle caries’ – as the most probable diagnosis. The potential significance of the findings for studies of infant health and feeding practices in past populations is discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Why did the ancient inhabitants of Palmyra suffer fluorosis?

The skeletal remains uncovered from the 2nd and 3rd century underground tombs of Palmyra, Syria, retain traces of arthritis and mottled enamel. A brown discoloration was also observed in the teeth. In order to clarify that these facts can be related to fluorosis, the teeth excavated from Tomb C and F in the Southeast Necropolis were analyzed. The fluoride contents of the fluorosis-suspected teeth (0.56 ± 0.16% (n = 7)) were higher than those of normal teeth (0.16 ± 0.18% (n = 7)). The highest content (0.85%) proved that 22% of the hydroxide in apatite was substituted by fluoride. The fluoride concentrations of the natural water including deep well water available today in this area ranged from 0.3 to 3.0 mg l⁻¹. The highest fluoride concentration was found to be regulated by the dissolution equilibrium of fluorite, CaF₂, through the process of evaporation and concentration in this arid region. Because of the common ion effect by calcium ions in a high concentration, the fluoride concentration was lower than that expected from the solubility product of fluorite (8.2 mg l⁻¹). The mechanism of this process has probably remained unchanged since ancient times and therefore the drinking water used by the ancient people of Palmyra was estimated to contain fluoride at a level causing fluorosis.