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Godinho RM, Umbelino C, Valera AC, Carvalho AF, Bicho N, Cascalheira J, Gonçalves C, Smith P. Mandibular morphology and the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in Westernmost Iberia. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16648. [PMID: 37789074 PMCID: PMC10547775 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42846-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neolithic farming and animal husbandry were first developed in the Near East ~ 10,000 BCE and expanded westwards, reaching westernmost Iberia no later than 5500 BCE. It resulted in major social, cultural, economic and dietary changes. Yet, the impact of this change on human mandibular morphology in Iberia is yet to be assessed, which is regrettable because mandible form is impacted by population history and diet. In this study we used Mesolithic to Chalcolithic Iberian samples to examine the impact of this transition on mandibular morphology. We also compared these samples with a Southern Levantine Chalcolithic population to assess their relationship. Lastly, we assessed dental wear to determine if the morphological differences identified were related to the material properties of the diet. We found differences between samples in mandibular shape but not size, which we attribute to contrasting population histories between Mesolithic and later populations. Some differences in the severity of dental wear were also found between Mesolithic and later Iberian samples, and smaller between the Mesolithic Iberians and southern Levantines. Little relationship was found between wear magnitude and mandibular shape. Altogether, our results show that the Mesolithic-Neolithic Iberian transition resulted in a meaningful change in mandibular morphology, which was likely driven more by population history than by dietary change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Miguel Godinho
- Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB), Faculdade das Ciências Humanas e Sociais, University of Algarve, Campus Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal.
| | - Cláudia Umbelino
- Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB), Faculdade das Ciências Humanas e Sociais, University of Algarve, Campus Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - António Carlos Valera
- Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB), Faculdade das Ciências Humanas e Sociais, University of Algarve, Campus Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
- Era Arqueologia, S.A., Calçada de Santa Catarina, 9C, 1495-705, Cruz Quebrada, Portugal
| | - António Faustino Carvalho
- Centro de Estudos de Arqueologia, Artes e Ciências do Património (CEAACP), F.C.H.S., University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8000-117, Faro, Portugal
| | - Nuno Bicho
- Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB), Faculdade das Ciências Humanas e Sociais, University of Algarve, Campus Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
| | - João Cascalheira
- Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB), Faculdade das Ciências Humanas e Sociais, University of Algarve, Campus Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Célia Gonçalves
- Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB), Faculdade das Ciências Humanas e Sociais, University of Algarve, Campus Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Patricia Smith
- Faculties of Medicine and Dental Medicine and National Natural History Collections, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
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Šimková PG, Weber GW, Ramirez Rozzi FV, Slimani L, Sadoine J, Fornai C. Morphological variation of the deciduous second molars in the Baka Pygmies. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16480. [PMID: 34389746 PMCID: PMC8363745 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95524-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The Baka Pygmies are known for their short stature resulting from a reduced growth rate during infancy. They are peculiar also for their teeth erupt earlier than in any other African population, and their posterior dentition is larger than in non-Pygmy populations. However, the Baka's dental morphology, like several other aspects of their biology, is still understudied. Here, we explore the variation of the Baka's deciduous upper and lower second molars (dm2s) in comparison to a geographically heterogeneous human sample by means of 3D geometric morphometrics and analysis of dental traits. Our results show that the different populations largely overlap based on the shape of their dm2s, especially the lower ones. Their distal region and the height of the dentinal crown differ the most, with the Baka showing the most extreme range of variation. Upper and lower dm2s covary to a great extent (RV = 0.82). The Baka's and South Americans' dm2s were confirmed among the largest in our sample. Despite the Baka's unique growth pattern, long-lasting isolation, and extreme dental variation, it is not possible to distinguish them from other populations based on their dm2s' morphology only.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra G Šimková
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Gerhard W Weber
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Core Facility for Micro-Computed Tomography, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Fernando V Ramirez Rozzi
- UMR7206 Ecoanthropologie, MNHN, CNRS, UP, Musée de L'Homme, Paris, France
- EA 2496 Pathologies, Imagerie et biothérapies oro-faciales, Université Paris Descartes, Montrouge, France
| | - Lotfi Slimani
- UR2496 - Plateforme Imageries du Vivant, Université de Paris, Montrouge, France
| | - Jérémy Sadoine
- UR2496 - Plateforme Imageries du Vivant, Université de Paris, Montrouge, France
| | - Cinzia Fornai
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Vienna School of Interdisciplinary Dentistry, Klosterneuburg, Austria.
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