Prehistoric “fish‐eaters” along the eastern Arabian coasts: Dental variation, morphology, and oral health in the Ra's al‐Hamra community (Qurum, Sultanate of Oman, 5th–4th millennia BC)

Abstract

The Ra's al-Hamra prehistoric fishermen lived in isolation on the Qurum rocky promontorium in Oman during the 5th-4th millennia BC. To date, they represent the most ancient and numerous human fossil group excavated from the Arabian peninsula. Like other contemporaneous archaeologically documented small communities along the desert Arabian coasts, they intensively exploited ocean resources and collected molluscs from nearby mangrove swamps. The present study analyzes aspects of dental anthropology (including crown variation, morphology, dental wear, and oral health), in 600 permanent teeth from 49 individuals of both sexes excavated at the Mesolithic RH5-site by the Italian Archaeological Mission in Oman from 1981 to 1985. In association with a general low degree of morphometric variation, the Ra's al-Hamra dental crowns show low sexual dimorphism and are consistently reduced in size. These features are unexpected in a preagricultural population, especially when these data are compared to other eastern African and near Middle Eastern prehistoric populations. These data are discussed within the general context of human dental structural reduction occurring during the post-Pleistocene and are interpreted according to the "increasing population density effect" model. There are other significant differences that characterize the Ra's al-Hamra dentitions with respect to both eastern and western prehistoric human groups. The frequency of numerous nonmetric crown traits supports the hypothesis that a microdifferentiation phenomenon occurred in this marginal area. The preliminary skeletal analysis and the palaeodemographic profile show that the Omani prehistoric fishermen were affected by genetic isolation and inbreeding as well as strong environmental stress. Because of the grit assimilated with dried fish and the high shellfish consumption, dental wear was extreme in all age groups at Ra's al-Hamra and occasionally was responsible for serious hematogenously spread infections. In spite of the great anthropological importance of ancient Arabian populations, very few studies on skeletal and dental samples have been completed. The present paper offers an odontological data set for future comparative research in the area.

Gradients of occlusal wear in hunter‐gatherers and agriculturalists

“…These results are similar to previous studies, in which hunter-gatherers were shown to have extensive occlusal wear (see Fig. 4) (P Smith, 1972;Hinton, 1982;BH Smith, 1984a;Macchiarelli, 1989;Littleton and Frohlich, 1993;Kaifu, 1999). The greater occlusal wear in the hunter-gatherers from the Green River Valley may have been due, in part, to life-way activities, and diet related to aquatic foods (e.g., Macchiarelli, 1989;Littleton and Frohlich, 1993;Walker, 1996).…”

“…One possible cause of this wear may have been the use of their anterior teeth as a third hand (e.g., Pedersen, 1947;Molnar, 1971a,b;Schulz, 1977;Milner and Larsen, 1991), possibly to hold sinew in place while tying a fish hook or knotting a net. Other causes of the heavy wear across the dental arch in this group could have been aquatic foods themselves, which are particularly abrasive (P Smith, 1972c;BH Smith, 1984a;Walker and Erlandson, 1986;Macchiarelli, 1989;Littleton and Frohlich, 1993;Walker, 1996), or foods contaminated by hard stone dust during preparation. For example, use of the numerous stone mortars and pestles recovered from the Green River Valley sites (Webb, 1940(Webb, , 1946Crothers, 1999) during food preparation may have introduced contaminants into food prior to consumption.…”

“…4) (P Smith, 1972;Hinton, 1982;BH Smith, 1984a;Macchiarelli, 1989;Littleton and Frohlich, 1993;Kaifu, 1999). The greater occlusal wear in the hunter-gatherers from the Green River Valley may have been due, in part, to life-way activities, and diet related to aquatic foods (e.g., Macchiarelli, 1989;Littleton and Frohlich, 1993;Walker, 1996). For instance, all middleaged and older hunter-gatherers had more wear on their anterior teeth than did the agriculturalists (Table 3, Fig.…”

Dental pathology and diet at Apollonia, a Greek colony on the Black Sea

“…In the western Mediterranean region, for example, the transition to agriculture was accompanied by an increase in the rate of caries (Meiklejohn & Zvelebil, 1991). Hunting and gathering populations, in contrast, typically show an absence of caries, reflecting their non-cariogenic, high protein diet; also, populations heavily reliant on marine resources typically show low rates of caries (Macchiarelli, 1989;Nelson et al, 1999).…”

Dietary patterns during the late prehistoric/historic period in Cikobia island (Fiji): insights from stable isotopes and dental pathologies

“…This apparent absence of shellfish is consistent with the low level of macrowear recorded in the teeth and possibly also with the presence of calculus formations in all dentitions. Shellfish contain grit and are classified as abrasive food [63,94,149]. For example, Sealy et al [135] have noticed more worn teeth in early coastal dwellers of the southwestern Cape in South Africa, where d 13 C values and archaeological evidence (remains of shells) reflect high marine food consumption.…”