Occlusal microwear texture analysis and the diets of historical/prehistoric hunter‐gatherers

Abstract

With the exception of few studies, occlusal microwear of pre-agricultural modern humans has not been documented. In this study, microwear fabrics of samples from seven historic/ prehistoric hunter-gatherer populations with known and diverse dietary habits, representing mostly meat-eaters from different environments, arctic/tundra (Tigara from Point Hope), coldsteppe (Fuegians) and Mediterranean (Chumash), and mixed-diet hunter-gatherers from tropical climates (Andamanese and Khoe-San from Matjes River, Riet River, and Oakhurst Shelter), were analysed to better understand how dietary differences affect microwear in these groups and to establish a reasonable comparative database for interpreting fossil hominins microwear. Significant microwear differences, related to diet and food preparation techniques, between the meat-eaters and mixed-diet hunter-gatherers were detected. Finer scale differences within each of these dietary categories were also observed. Ethnographic accounts indicate that the Tigara and Andamanese ingested hard particles attached to their food as a result of their food preparation techniques; their microwear fabrics also reflect highly abrasive diets. On the other hand, as expected, the microwear signatures of the Chumash and Fuegians indicate a diet low in abrasives, reflecting their almost exclusive reliance on marine meat for subsistence and the low amounts of extraneous particles attached to this meat. The mixeddiet Khoe-San occupy an intermediate position between the Tigara and Andamanese on the one hand, and the Chumash and Fuegians on the other, with regard to the level of abrasives ingested. The Khoe-San ate large amounts of hard plants, most likely responsible for abrading their enamel surface.

Neanderthal teeth from moula‐guercy, Ardèche, France

“…The microwear texture data for the Moula-Guercy specimens are presented in Table 2 and illustrated in Figures 4-6. Moreover, dental microwear texture analyses of incisors and permanent molars have been published for several bioarcheological groups (El Zaatari, 2010;Krueger and Ungar, 2010;Krueger, 2011), and together, these data can help put the Moula-Guercy anterior teeth and molars into some context. Moreover, dental microwear texture analyses of incisors and permanent molars have been published for several bioarcheological groups (El Zaatari, 2010;Krueger and Ungar, 2010;Krueger, 2011), and together, these data can help put the Moula-Guercy anterior teeth and molars into some context.…”

“…While there are no comparative baseline datasets available for premolars or deciduous teeth, it is possible to compare the permanent anterior and molar teeth with published and recently completed Neanderthal studies, including the large sample from Krapina (El Zaatari et al, 2011;Krueger, 2011;Krueger and Ungar, 2012). Moreover, dental microwear texture analyses of incisors and permanent molars have been published for several bioarcheological groups (El Zaatari, 2010;Krueger and Ungar, 2010;Krueger, 2011), and together, these data can help put the Moula-Guercy anterior teeth and molars into some context. Figures 5 and 6 compare average values for the Moula-Guercy incisors and molars (each represented by one tooth per individual) with those reported by several completed Neanderthal and bioarcheological studies (for the incisors: Krueger, 2011;Krueger andUngar, 2010, 2012; for the molars: El Zaatari, 2010;El Zaatari et al, 2011).…”

Rate and pattern of interproximal dental attrition

“…As a different etiology is suggested for each type of attrition, it is not surprising to find different microwear features of the enamel; an abrasive diet affects occlusal and buccal surfaces (7,8), presenting scratches and pits (9)(10)(11)(12), whereas an interproximal facet presents a polished, bright surface (4). Previous studies on the association between the two types of attrition revealed conflicting results: Studies carried out on ancient populations showed that increased OA causes enlarged proximal facet length (4,(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13); however, contrasting results were obtained by DETER (14), who found that proximal facet length decreases with increased OA. Although occlusal and interproximal attrition result from diverse etiologies and present dissimilar features, both were found to be age-related (15)(16)(17)(18).…”

Dental health of the late 19th and early 20th century Khoesan

“…River and Kakamas) and may be explained by the high amount of abrasive material found in their food (El-Zaatari, 2010;Steyn, 1994).…”