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'Jarošová I, Dočkalová M, 2008: Dental remains from the Neolithic settlements in Moravia, Czech Republic. Anthropologie (Brno) 46, 1: 77-101'. |
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| Abstract | | The examined skeletal series was recovered from various Moravian Neolithic settlements. The sample is comprised of 55 (52.9%) subadults (0-19-year-old), 14 (13.5%) adult males, 25 (24.1%) adult females, and of 10 (9.6%) adults of undetermined sex. From the archaeological point of view, there are three periods of Neolithic cultures based on different ornaments on ceramics, thus the sample of 104 examined individuals with present dentitions was divided subsequently according to this criterion as well: 73 individuals belonged to the Linear Pottery Culture (LBK 5700-4900 BC), 10 to the Stroked Pottery Culture (STK 4900-4700 BC), and 21 to the Lengyel culture, well known in Moravia as Moravian Painted Pottery Culture (LgK 4700-4000 BC). In this study all these individuals were scored for dental caries, dental wear, and the prevalence of dental enamel hypoplasia (DEH). Dental caries and dental wear were scored in order to find out basic characteristics of consumed food, and DEH was scored in order to find out the extent of non-specific stressors (i.e. indicators of metabolic and nutritional disruptions) within the Neolithic period. In the examined Neolithic sample there was only one case of dental caries detected in subadult (0-19 yrs) individuals. In comparison to the later Neolithic periods, the highest values of caries intensity (13.3) and frequency (42.9) were found in the LBK. In this oldest period of Moravian Neolithic the highest values of dental wear were found out as well. It is highly probable that the composition of food in individuals during the Linear Pottery Culture period was slightly richer in carbohydrates and contained a higher number of abrasive particles in comparison to the later Neolithic periods (i.e. STK and LgK). Manipulative incisor wear was found in 14 of 104 analysed specimens, predominantly in females of LBK. This wear occurs probably in relationship with activities involving the processing of fibrous materials, most likely sinews. Dental enamel hypoplasia was present in low frequency (14.5%). Among the three periods, the highest frequency of enamel hypoplastic lesions was found out within individuals of the Lengyel culture (18.8%), whereas individuals of the LBK displayed lower values (13.5%), and individuals of the STK period even the lowest rate (12.5%) of DEH. Individuals from various settlements showed a similar ability to cope with later insults of non-specific stressors during the Neolithic period, i.e. 5700-4000 BC. | | | | Keywords | | Teeth - Neolithic settlements - Moravia - Linear Pottery Culture - Stroked Pottery Culture - Lengyel Culture - Dental Caries - Pre-mortem tooth loss - Occlusal wear - Manipulative wear - Dental Enamel Hypoplasia | | |
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