Human dental microwear caused by calcium oxalate phytoliths in prehistoric diet of the lower Pecos region, Texas

Abstract

Recent research demonstrates that silica phytoliths of dietary origin are associated with microwear of human teeth. Previous research has shown that severe enamel microwear and dental wear characterizes Archaic hunter-gatherers in the lower Pecos region of west Texas. Calcium oxalate crystals are especially common in Archaic coprolites. The vast majority are derived from prickly pear and agave, which were the dietary staples in west Texas for 6,000 years. The calcium oxalate phytoliths are harder than enamel. Therefore, calcium oxalate crystals are the most likely source of previously documented dental microwear and wear in the lower Pecos region.

Medicago truncatula Mutants Demonstrate the Role of Plant Calcium Oxalate Crystals as an Effective Defense against Chewing Insects

“…Prehistoric human populations in the Lower Pecos region of Texas, whose diets relied heavily on plant species high in calcium oxalate, demonstrated significant dental wear likely due to these crystals (Danielson and Reinhard, 1998). Other minerals in plants have also been shown to act as physical abrasives to chewing insects.…”

Prehistoric earth oven facilities and the pathoecology of Chagas disease in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands

“…Food was prepared and roasted in earth oven facilities in the rockshelters. One of the most commonly prepared foods was agave, a desert succulent plant (Bryant, 1974;Bryant and Williams-Dean, 1975;Danielson and Reinhard, 1998;Reinhard and Danielson, 2005;Riley, 2008Riley, , 2010. The preparation and consumption of agave resulted in a considerable mass of fiber mixed with broken rock, which was an ideal habitat for triatomines.…”

Dental wash: a problematic method for extracting microfossils from teeth

“…This kind of analysis has shed light on crucial issues for archaeology, such as stone tool function and artifact production, and dietary change associated with the advent of agriculture (Danielson and Reinhard, 1998;Piperno and Holst, 1998;Piperno et al, 2000;Shafer and Holloway, 1979;Zarrillo and Kooyman, 2006). An innovative approach to the study of ancient diet is the analysis of dental calculus ( Fig.…”