Sample-specific sex estimation in archaeological contexts with commingled human remains: a case study from the Middle Neolithic cave of Bom Santo in Portugal

Abstract

Estimating sex on large assemblages of commingled skeletal human remains is challenging because it prevents the systemic observation of the skeleton and thus reduces the reliability of sex-ratio estimation. In order to tackle this problem, the applicability of sample-specific odontometric methods was assessed on the human skeletal remains from the Middle Neolithic cave necropolis of Bom Santo in Portugal. We present an approach that confirms some of the assumptions -the normal distribution of the data and the 1:1.5 sex ratio -indicated by Albanese et al. (2005) for the application of sample-specific methods. These assumptions are often difficult to assess in archaeological samples and thus prevent the use of sample-specific methods.The mean bucco-lingual diameter of 51 lower right canine teeth was used as a cut-off point to discriminate between sexes within a sample from Bom Santo. Before that, Shapiro-Wilk statistics was used to confirm that the distribution of the data in a sample of 51 lower canine teeth was normal. In addition, the range and central tendency of the data were compared to other samples for which the sex of the individuals was known in order to confirm that those parameters were consistent with those of a sample presenting a balanced sex ratio. The canine sex estimations were then compared with the sex estimation obtained from mandibles where canine teeth were still in situ (n = 8). No clear disagreement between the two methods was found thus demonstrating good potential of this method for sex estimation and for the sex ratio estimation in commingled human skeletal remains. Results indicated that sex ratios in Room A and Room B at Bom Santo were quite different. This indicates that the two locations may have been used in a different way according to sex.

Sex estimation by odontometrics of nonadult human remains from a contemporary Italian sample

“…The canines were followed by the mandibular second molar (M 2 ), the maxillary and mandibular second premolars (PM 2 , PM 2 ), the maxillary and mandibular first premolars (PM 1 , PM 1 ), and the mandibular first molar (M 1 ). These data are consistent with the findings of previous studies on the greater sexual dimorphism of the canines (Acharya & Mainali, 2007; Adams & Pilloud, 2019; Angadi et al, 2013; Capitaneanu et al, 2017; De Angelis et al, 2015; Flohr, Kierdorf, & Kierdorf, 2016; Gonçalves, Granja, Cardoso, & de Carvalho, 2014; Hassett, 2011; İşcan & Kedici, 2003; Kazzazi & Kranioti, 2018; Khamis et al, 2014; Luna, 2019; Martins Filho, Lopez‐Capp, Biazevic, & Michel‐Crosato, 2016; Pereira, Bernardo, Pestana, Santos, & de Mendonça, 2010; Shaweesh, 2017; Tardivo et al, 2015; Thompson, 2013; Viciano et al, 2011, 2015, 2013; Zorba et al, 2011), and on the sexual dimorphism of both maxillary and mandibular first and second premolars (Adams & Pilloud, 2019; Kazzazi & Kranioti, 2018; Shaweesh, 2017; Yong et al, 2018; Zorba et al, 2011) and mandibular first and second molars (Acharya & Mainali, 2007; Adams & Pilloud, 2019; Angadi et al, 2013; Aris et al, 2018; Kazzazi & Kranioti, 2018; Martins Filho et al, 2016; Peckmann et al, 2015; Tuttösí & Cardoso, 2015; Viciano et al, 2015, 2013; Zorba et al, 2012, 2011). Moreover, several crown and cervical measurements of the maxillary and mandibular incisors (i.e., I 1 , I 1 , I 2 , I 2 ) and third molars (i.e., M 3 , M 3 ) also showed significant differences between males and females in the present study, and this finding is consistent with other studies (Acharya & Mainali, 2007; Adams & Pilloud, 2019; Ateş, Karaman, Işcan, & Erdem, 2006; Condon et al, 2011; Kazzazi & Kranioti, 2018; Peckmann et al,…”

Sex estimation using cervical dental measurements in an archaeological population from Iran

“…On average, males have larger teeth than females and this characteristic could be used in sex estimation (Garn et al 1964(Garn et al , 1966Ditch and Rose 1972;Kieser et al 1985;Hattab et al 1997;Işcan and Kedici 2003;Hassett 2011;Viciano et al 2015). The most commonly reported tooth measurements for sex estimation are the maximum mesiodistal and buccolingual crown measurements (Black 1978;Hattab et al 1997;Kondo and Townsend 2004;Acharya and Mainali 2007;Pereira et al 2010;Mitsea et al 2014;Gonçalves et al 2014;Sharma et al 2015). These measurements, however, are difficult to obtain in worn teeth or crowns that are embedded in the jaw.…”

The Bom Santo Cave (Lisbon, Portugal): Catchment, Diet, and Patterns of Mobility of a Middle Neolithic Population

“…The provisional MNI present in both rooms is 73, based on the frequency of the permanent right first lower molar (Room A: n = 35; Room B: n = 36) and two of uncertain location. The remains found are of individuals of various age groups, ranging from infancy to old age and both sexes; sample-specific sex estimation allowed us to estimate the sex of 38 individuals, 18 being male and 20 female (Gonçalves et al, 2014), suggesting that the cave was used by all members of the community. The age-at-death estimation was carried out on the basis of dental mineralization and eruption, on epiphyseal union and fusion, and on the diaphyseal length of immature remains.…”

“…We were able to estimate the age of only about half of the individuals (n=32) and many of them fell in such wide age cohorts that it limited our power to infer the age structure and the mortality rate of this population; moreover, only a small part of the cave has been excavated so far. Sex estimation was based on odontometrics, osteometrics, and skeletal morphology (Gonçalves et al, 2014;Granja et al, 2014a). Although the space was used, regardless of sex and age-at death, a detailed analysis of the cave suggests that the funerary space was managed.…”