Activity‐induced dental modification in holocene siberian hunter‐fisher‐gatherers

Abstract

The use of teeth as tools provides clues to past subsistence patterns and cultural practices. Five Holocene period hunter-fisher-gatherer mortuary sites from the south-western region of Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russian Federation, are observed for activity-induced dental modification (AIDM) to further characterize their adaptive regimes. Grooves on the occlusal surfaces of teeth are observed in 25 out of 123 individuals (20.3%) and were most likely produced during the processing of fibers from plants and animals, for making items such as nets and cordage. Regional variation in the frequency of individuals with occlusal grooves is found in riverine versus lakeshore sites. This variation suggests that production of material culture items differed, perhaps in relation to different fishing practices. There is also variation in the distribution of grooves by sex: grooves are found predominately in females, except at the Late Neolithic-Bronze Age river site of Ust'-Ida I where grooves are found exclusively in males. Occlusal grooves were cast using polyvinylsiloxane and maxillary canine impressions were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine striation patterns. Variation in striae orientation suggests that a variety of activities, and/or different manufacturing techniques, were involved in groove production. Overall, the variability in occlusal groove frequency, sex and regional distribution, and microscopic striae patterns, points to the multiplicity of activities and ways in which people used their mouths and teeth in cultural activities.

A Macroscopic Analysis of Human Dentition at Late Chalcolithic Çamlıbel Tarlası, North Central Anatolia, with Special Reference to Dietary and Non-masticatory Habits

“…Most occlusal grooves are widely believed to be the result of using the teeth to soften and hold fibres during weaving, basketry, yarn production, net and cord production and the processing of animal sinews and plant fibres (Alpaslan Roodenberg 2011a, 23;Erdal 2008, 159;Lorkiewicz 2011, 539, 545;Milner, Larsen 1991, 366;Molnar 2008, 429;Turner, Anderson 2003;Waters-Rist 2010 et al). The presence of flax in the floral record (Papadopoulou, Bogaard 2013, 128) and the potential for the exploitation of wool from sheep (Bartosiewicz, Gillis 2011, 79) along with the presence of copper needles and perforators ( Figure 5) would suggest that yarn, fibres and sinews were being processed at Çamlıbel Tarlası and could potentially cause occlusal grooves (Erdal 2008, 161-163).…”

Bone quality in prehistoric, cis‐baikal forager femora: A micro‐CT analysis of cortical canal microstructure

“…A multifactorial approach was adopted to determine the assignment of an individual to an age-at-1 The accuracy of age-at-death prediction varies depending on reference sample composition [see Bocquet-Apple and Masset (1982), as well as overviews by Jackes (2000) and Milner et al (2008)], as well as genetic and epigenetic factors, such as ethnicity, nutrition, activity, and health status. For the present analysis, and in line with research already conducted on this population (e.g., Lieverse, 2005Lieverse, , 2010Lieverse 2007;Lieverse et al, 2007aLieverse et al, ,b, 2009Waters-Rist et al, 2010Waters-Rist, 2011), individuals were divided into the following age-at-death categories: adolescent (<20 years), young adult (20-34 years), middle adult (35-49 years), and old adult (501 years) ( Table 1). The pelvic methods used in this analysis, specifically the Suchey-Brooks method (Brooks and Suchey 1990) for pubic symphyses and the Meindl and Lovejoy (1989) method for auricular surface analyses, have been tested in modern Asian populations, with mixed results (Sakaue 2006, Schmitt 2004.…”

Traces of non-masticatory activities in the teeth of inhabitants of the Danube Gorges from 9500-5500 B.C.

“…Америке (Eckhardt andPiermarini 1988, Ubelaker 1983); затим из халколита, неолита и бронзаног доба Пакистана (Lucas and Pastor 1988); у скелетним серијама из епипалеолита, мезолита, неолита и бронзаног доба Европе (Alexandersen 1978, Bennike 1985, Billard 1988, Formicola 1988, Frayer and Russel 1987, Molnar 2008 Океаније и Аустралије (Kirch 1989, Campbell 1925 Berryman et al 1979, Boaz and Howell 1977, Bonfiglioli et al 2004, Formicola 1988, Frayer and Russel 1987, Molnar 2008, Schultz 1977, Ubelaker et al 1969, Wallace 1974, Waters-Rist et al 2010.…”

“…У археолошким узорцима се то види као локализована ресорпција кости алвеоле око одређеног зуба на коме је присутан и жлеб. Ове појаве забележене су узорцима дентиција севорноамеричких Индијанаца (Berryman et al 1979, Ubelaker et al 1969, али и у другим скелетним серијама из праисторије Канарских острва, северне Африке и Сибира (Bermudez de Castro and Arsuaga 1983, Bonfiglioli et al 2004, Waters-Rist et al 2010. Међутим, постоје и истраживања која показују да су апроксимални жлебови могли настати као резултат учесталих активности повезаних са обављањем одређених врста послова (Lucas and Pastor 1988, Molnar 2008, Schultz 1977, или као резултат навике без одређене функције која је имала "симболичко значење и са њим повезане психолошке ефекте" (Formicola 1988: 664).…”

“…Наведене индивидуе су датоване од мезолита до неолита, тако да чачкање између зуба у медицинске сврхе постоји све време трајање културе Лепенског вира. Аналогије овој појави зуба забележене су у узорцима дентиција севорноамеричких Индијанаца (Berryman et al 1979, Ubelaker et al 1969, али и у другим скелетним серијама из праисторије Канарских острва, северне Африке и Сибира (Bermudez de Castro and Arsuaga 1983, Bonfiglioli et al 2004, Waters-Rist et al 2010. Међутим, апроксимални жлебови су уочени код још четири индивидуе у Ђердапу, тачније код три са Лепенског вира (7/I, 69 и 93), једне са Власца (9) и једне са Падине (12), код којих нема каријсених лезија, ни ресорпције кости алвеола око зуба са жлебовима.…”