Calculus,periodontal disease and tooth decay among the prehispanic population from Gran Canaria

In the prehispanic Gran Canaria there are some anthropological differences between the coastal inhabitants who buried their dead mainly in tumuli, and those from the central mountains, mainly buried in caves. Some data, as the prevalence of auricular exostoses, and a different bone Ba/Sr ratio support the view that there were differences in economy and diet between both groups of islanders. Moreover, the proportion of carious teeth was significantly higher among the population buried in caves. In the present study we analysed the prevalence of dental calculus, periodontal disease and antemortem tooth loss in remains of 791 individuals belonging to the anthropological collection of the Museo Canario (Las Palmas). Calculus deposition was very frequent (88.51%), no differences existing between men and women or between those interred in tumuli or in caves. Age at death was the only parameter independently related to calculus deposition by stepwise multivariate analysis. Periodontal disease was observed in 66.78% of the population, significantly more in men (χ² = 4.88, P = 0.027). No differences existed between individuals buried in tumuli and in caves. Antemortem teeth loss was observed in 64.73% of individuals, no differences existing between men and women or between those interred in tumuli or in caves. There was a significant association between calculus and periodontal disease (χ² = 18.07, P < 0.0001). Both caries (χ² = 8.40, P = 0.004) and periodontal disease (χ² = 44.96, P < 0.0001) were associated with tooth decay. However, the proportion of teeth with calculus deposition (in relation to observed teeth) was significantly higher among the population buried in tumuli (Z = 3.18, P = 0.001), although no differences were observed when the proportion of antemortem lost teeth and alveoli with periodontal disease were compared among people buried in tumuli and in caves, but women showed significantly lower proportions of alveoli with periodontal disease and antemortem tooth decay. These data suggest that the population buried in caves had a different dietary pattern to that of those buried in tumuli, since calculus deposition -more frequent in the latter-may be related to the consumption of proteins. The results also point to the existence of differences in diet between men and women.     

Sedimentological and archaeological fabrics in Palaeolithic levels of the South-Eastern Pyrenees: Cova Gran and Roca dels Bous Sites (Lleida, Spain)

The comparative study of sedimentary fabrics in relation to archaeological fabrics in various levels of the sites of Cova Gran de Santa Linya (Middle and Early Upper Palaeolithic) and the Roca dels Bous (Middle Palaeolithic) has made it possible to analyse the formation dynamics of the deposits and determine the extent of disturbance of the archaeological levels by natural processes. To achieve this, diagrams and two- and three-dimensional indices were calculated from the azimuth and dip angle of natural clasts and artefacts. The results indicate that the sedimentary levels were formed mainly by planar fabric shape gravitational processes (low depositional angles), which differ notably from the archaeological fabrics they contain, characterised by a greater degree of isotropy. This difference in the fabrics would reflect human activity and indicates that the archaeological levels both in Cova Gran and Roca dels Bous have not been subject to significant natural modifications, and are preserved in situ.     

The hunted hunter: the capture of a lion (Panthera leo fossilis) at the Gran Dolina site,Sierra de Atapuerca,Spain

Many Pleistocene caves and rock shelters contain evidence of carnivore and human activities. For this reason, it is common to recover at these sites faunal remains left by both biological agents. In order to explain the role that carnivores play at the archaeological sites it is necessary to analyse several elements, such as the taxonomical and skeletal representation, the age profiles, the ratio of NISP to MNI, the anthropogenic processing marks on the carcasses (location and purpose of cutmarks and burning and bone breakage patterns), carnivore damage (digested bones, location and frequencies of toothmarks and bone breakage), length of the long bones, frequencies of coprolites and vertical distribution of the faunal remains, inter alia. From this, the documentation of carnivores in a faunal assemblage with a clear anthropogenic component can be understood from three main phenomena: (1) the carnivores as accumulators and the use of the site as a den; (2) carnivores as scavengers of hominid refuse and; (3) carnivores as hominids’ prey. Of these three phenomena, the last one is the least documented at the Middle Pleistocene sites. From this perspective, here we present the case of the anthropogenic use of a lion (Panthera leo fossilis) from level TD10-1 of Gran Dolina (MIS 9, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). The lion bone remains show signs of direct interaction between this big cat and human groups that occupied Gran Dolina in these chronologies. From this perspective, the aim of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge of the role developed by large carnivores in the anthropogenic contexts and to provide data on human use of these predators at the European Middle Pleistocene sites.     

Reassessing the age of Atapuerca-TD6 (Spain): new paleomagnetic results

We carry out a new paleomagnetic study across stratigraphic layer TD7 of Gran Dolina Site, Atapuerca, and reassess the existing absolute ages (thermoluminescence, electron spin resonance) obtained at this site. The new and more detailed magnetostratigraphic record of the Matuyama-Brunhes boundary, combined with absolute ages, enables further constraint on the age of the underlying human-bearing level or Aurora Stratum. Paleomagnetism of the studied silts and sandstones reveals stable, dual polarity Characteristic Remanent Magnetization directions. A new normal magnetic polarity short interval is found at several consecutive sampling localities in the upper part of TD7, providing a new ante quem date for the human-bearing sediments of 0.9 Ma, possibly formed during MIS 25.     

Paleodietary analysis of the prehistoric population of the Canary Islands inferred from stable isotopes (carbon,nitrogen and hydrogen) in bone collagen

Nitrogen and carbon isotope compositions were measured in the bone collagen from a total of 86 prehispanic samples of the Canary Islands, and hydrogen in 70, all of them with enough amount of bone collagen, and adequate N and C content. These samples belong to prehistoric population of El Hierro (n = 27), Tenerife (n = 18), and Gran Canaria (n = 41). Isotope compositions were also obtained for prehistoric and modern food resources that were likely consumed by these people. Marked differences were observed among the three islands regarding the three isotopes analyzed: the δ¹⁵N values were highest among the population of Gran Canaria (10.8‰ ± 0.9‰), who also showed the highest δD values (7 ± 8‰). The population of El Hierro showed the highest δ¹³C values (−18.6‰ ± 0.7‰). These data suggest a high consumption of marine products by the population from El Hierro, and also an important consumption of terrestrial meat or marine, piscivore fish, by the population from Gran Canaria, together with domesticated C₃ plants (barley and/or wheat), fruits of Ficus carica and other wild species, and goat products. Additionally, marked differences were observed between men and women, which suggest that women consumed a more vegetal-based diet, a finding which is in agreement with the higher proportion of teeth with carious lesions among women.