Dental health and lifestyle in four early mediaeval juvenile populations: comparisons between urban and rural individuals, and between coastal and inland settlements

Dental health status of the medieval silver-mining community from Kutná Hora (Czech Republic, 13th-16th c.): Impact of socioeconomic changes and mortality crises

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate the pathological conditions in teeth from skeletal remains found in the medieval burial ground at Kutná Hora (13th-16th centuries, Czech Republic). We focused on the effect on dental health of socioeconomic changes associated with the boom in silver mining at the site.

DESIGN

In this study, dental caries and antemortem tooth loss were recorded for 469 sexed adults (10,558 permanent teeth). Pathologies were analysed and presented by teeth and alveoli, and the differences between their frequencies were tested in sex-, age-, and burial context-separated groups (mass vs. individual graves).

RESULTS

The oral conditions were characterised by a low frequency of caries and moderate frequency of antemortem tooth loss (AMTL). For caries, males and females showed the same frequencies while AMTL comparisons indicated a higher rate in females. Most differences emerged between age-separated and burial context-separated groups. The age progression of the pathologies was confirmed for both caries and AMTL. Skeletons from mass burials had higher caries and AMTL frequencies than those buried in individual graves.

CONCLUSIONS

The dataset exhibited low caries and below average AMTL rates compared to other medieval European skeletal series. We think that life in this mining centre had a positive effect on the dental health of its inhabitants. The relatively poorer dental health of those buried in mass graves reflected either the specific composition of the population in the first half of the 14th century or the lower resilience of these individuals when facing mortality crises.

Post-medieval stelae cemetery in Nowy Dwór: preliminary results of an anthropological and archaeological study

The paper presents preliminary results of an anthropological analysis of a previously unknown post-medieval stelae cemetery in the village of Nowy Dwór in Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland. The main aim of the study was to identify the site itself, and to create the probable biological profile of the local population. The research confirmed the existence of a post-medieval necropolis in which remains of at least 181 individuals were unearthed, with 111 individuals discovered in 88 intact graves and their closest proximity. Few individuals were equipped with what can be interpreted as “obol of the dead”, and at least three burials could be classified as deviant. Biological analysis showed that 33% of analysed individuals regardless of age bore infection-related lesions and post inflammatory pathologies. Constructed mortality tables also correspond more with tables for medieval rather than post-medieval populations. As a conclusion, collected evidence and results of analysis seem to verify the historical accounts mentioning several plague outbreaks in the region, occurring from the 16th to 18th centuries. Individual findings such as “obol of the dead”, as well as the “deviant grave”, likely belonging to a whisperer (witch), can also provide useful to further research on local traditions and beliefs.

Microscopic and virtual approaches to oral pathology: A case study from El Mirador Cave (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain)

BACKGROUND

The analysis and diagnosis of ancient oral pathologies have been improved with the application of new techniques such as microscopy and scanning methods over the past few decades. However, the enhancement of the diagnosis implies a prior knowledge of the availability and suitability of such equipments.

METHODS

In this work we examined 3D digital and scanning electron microscopy and two computed tomography systems (CBCT and microCT) in order to assess dental and oral disease of the individuals of a Chalcolithic collective burial from El Mirador cave (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

3D Digital microscopy and CBCT are excellent options to analyze dental pathologies as they are more frequently available, sample preparation is not required, easy to operate, offer excellent images and the possibility of measurements and 3D reconstructions.

Toward a bioarchaeology of urbanization: Demography, health, and behavior in cities in the past

Urbanization is one of the most important settlement shifts in human history and has been the focus of research within bioarchaeology for decades. However, there have been limited attempts to synthesize the results of these studies in order to gain a broader perspective on whether or how urbanization affects the biology, demography, and behavior of humans, and how these potential effects are embodied in the human skeleton. This paper outlines how bioarchaeology is well-suited to examine urbanization in the past, and we provide an overview and examples of three main ways in which urbanization is studied in bioarchaeological research: comparison of (often contemporaneous) urban and rural sites, synchronic studies of the variation that exists within and between urban sites, and investigations of changes that occur within urban sites over time. Studies of urbanization, both within bioarchaeology and in other fields of study, face a number of limitations, including a lack of a consensus regarding what urban and urbanization mean, the assumed dichotomous nature of urban versus rural settlements, the supposition that urbanization is universally bad for people, and the assumption (at least in practice) of homogeneity within urban and rural populations. Bioarchaeologists can address these limitations by utilizing a wide array of data and methods, and the studies described here collectively demonstrate the complex, nuanced, and highly variable effects of urbanization.

Frequency of dental caries in children in the Early Iron Age and the Medieval populations from Ukraine

In this paper we determine the caries frequency in children of the Early Iron Age (EIA) (the 9th - the 3d centuries BC) and the Medieval populations (the 8th - the beginning of the 15th century AD) from the Ukraine area, and compare the results with the data from several European populations who lived at the same time. The EIA is presented by 41 children skeletons, three of which were Cimmerian (the 9th - the 7th centuries BC) from the territory of contemporary Poltava region; 38 skulls from the territory of contemporary Poltava region and Crimea represented Scythian period (the 7th - the 3d centuries BC). Remains of 24 children from the Medieval populations were also examined, three of which were the ancient Hungarians from the Poltava region (the 8th - the 9th centuries AD), 6 Khazars from the Kharkiv region (the 8th - the 9th centuries), 1 child related the Old Rus culture from the Kyiv region (the 9th century), and 14 representatives of the nomadic populations in the Golden Horde period (the 13th - the beginning of the 15th century) from the Poltava and Zaporizhzhya regions. Taking in consideration the letter archaeobotanical studies we suggest that there were no major changes in the plants exploited during all the studied periods. The frequency of carious lesions in children from the Medieval populations (8.3% in individuals, 0.5% in deciduous teeth, and 0.4% in permanent teeth) is only slightly higher than those from the EIA period (2.4% in individuals and 0.2% in deciduous teeth). These indexes were not larger those of majority of European populations dated to the same historic period. Further isotopic, chemical and palaeobotanical studies of the additional sites, with sufficient sample sizes, allow us to learn so much more of the cariogenic factors in children of the past populations from the Ukraine area.

Influence of physiological stress on the presence of hypoplasia and fluctuating asymmetry in a medieval population from the village of Sypniewo

This study aims to estimate the levels of physiological stress in the medieval rural population of Sypniewo by evaluating patterns of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and enamel hypoplasia (EH), and provide information on the influence of physiological stress during the prenatal and perinatal period on early childhood development. Stress is defined as any external or internal condition that challenges homeostasis of an organism. FA is associated with physiological stress occurring mainly during prenatal development and early childhood. The level of FA is thought to reflect the intensity of the stressor(s). EH is caused by physiological stress such as nutritional instability during the first years of life. The studied material consisted of 126 skulls from the village of Sypniewo (Poland). Cranial radiographs were taken in postero-anterior (P-A) and basal views. The images were scanned and calibrated. Measurements of the cranium were used to estimate FA. The presence of EH was assessed using standard anthropological methods The highest levels of FA were observed in the region of the cranial base. EH was observed in 29% of individuals from the rural skeletal series. There was no statistically significant correlation between FA and EH occurrence or between sex and the studied stress indicators.

Growth and health status of children and adolescents in medieval Central Europe

Subadult growth and health have been analyzed in three cemetery samples from medieval Poland, including two early-urban sites: Cedynia dated to the 10t-14th centuries AD, and Ostrów Lednicki dated to the 13th-15th centuries AD, and a rural site Słaboszewo dated to the 14th-17th centuries AD. The nutritional status was not expected to have substantially differed among the settlements, due to the culturally induced undiversified diet of children, and predominant share of medium-to-low status individuals. However, city life and village life were supposed to differ in factors correlated with the spread of infections, and as such it was expected to find significant differences in respiratory health among early-urban and rural dwellers.The prevalences of diet-dependent diseases, scurvy and rickets, were found to be statistically indistinguishable among the three studied populations, while higher frequency of skeletal signs of poor respiratory health was observed in early-urban Cedynia than rural Słaboszewo. Slightly lower prevalences of skeletal stress indicators were found for the rural than the early-urban site. Skeletal growth profiles and the dynamics of long bone growth were found to be remarkably similar for the early-urban samples (Cedynia and Ostrów Lednicki), with the rural subadults having the shortest diaphyseal lengths, and lower growth dynamics.It can be concluded that adverse factors associated with the urban settlement were more detrimental to respiratory health than those in the village. A variety of factors are potentially responsible for this pattern, including population density, building structure, quality of air and water, sanitation, and occupation. Perhaps, the key factor in response to environmental and socio-cultural constraints was the stability of living conditions in the village, which allowed the inhabitants to develop sufficient adaptive mechanisms. In contrast, the history of strongholds such as Cedynia was changeable due to political situation, military threats and migrations of people.

Was molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) present in archaeological case series?

OBJECTIVE

With respect to the unknown aetiology of molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH), it is unclear whether this phenomenon was overlooked in the last century as a result of a high number of caries in children or if this developmental disorder was not present until then. Therefore, this study determined the presence of MIH in historical dentitions and teeth.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Dental remains from late medieval (n = 191, twelfth-sixteenth century, Regensburg, Germany), post-medieval (n = 33, sixteenth-eighteenth century, Passau, Germany) and modern age archaeological skeletal series (n = 99, nineteenth-twentieth century, Altdorf, Germany) were examined for MIH. In addition, linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH), diffuse opacities, hypoplasia and Turner's teeth were documented.

RESULTS

MIH-related demarcated opacities or enamel breakdowns were found in only 15 (0.4 %) of the 3891 examined permanent teeth. Ten cases (3.1 %) from a total of 323 dentitions were classified as having MIH. In contrast, 98 individuals (30.3 %) showed LEH. Other enamel disorders were recorded in 64 individuals (19.8 %).

CONCLUSION

With respect to the low number of affected dentitions and teeth, MIH most likely did not exist or was at least rarely present in the investigated archaeological case series.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This study supports the hypothesis that MIH may be linked to contemporary living conditions or other health-related factors.

The prevalence and distribution of dental caries in four early medieval non-adult populations of different socioeconomic status from Central Europe

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to map the dental health status in non-adult individuals and to verify whether and how the existence of caries in the non-adult age group is associated with the different socio-economic status of early medieval populations.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We studied the dental remains from the acropolis of the Mikulčice settlement agglomeration, where members of the higher social classes were buried, and from the Mikulčice hinterland. Overall, we evaluated 2544 teeth/3714 alveoli of deciduous dentition and 1938 teeth/2128 alveoli of permanent dentition. We determined the number of individuals with dental caries (i.e., caries frequency index, F-CE) and the proportion of teeth/alveoli with caries/ante-mortem tooth loss (i.e., caries intensity index, I-CE).

RESULTS

We found no statistical significant difference in the F-CE values between the Mikulčice hinterland and the acropolis. In addition, we found no statistically significant difference in the proportion of teeth with carious lesions (I-CE) either in the case of deciduous dentition or in the case of permanent dentition between the hinterland and the acropolis. In the case of permanent dentition, the statistically significant highest proportion of carious lesions (I-CE) was found in Mikulčice I (p ≤ 0.05). We confirmed an increase in the rate of caries with age.

CONCLUSIONS

The level of caries at all of the studied medieval locations was very low. We presume that lifestyle and the associated dietary habits and hygienic practices of the individuals or population groups had a greater influence on dental caries than did the socio-economic status of these individuals.

Socio-cultural factors in dental diseases in the Medieval and early Modern Age of northern Spain

The aim of this study is to present, discuss and compare the results of pathological conditions in teeth from skeletal remains found in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain) in four Medieval cemeteries (late 15th century) and three cemeteries from the Modern Age (late 18th century). The final objective was to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic and cultural changes that took place during the early Modern Age in Spain, on oral health. Dental caries and antemortem tooth loss were considered as indicators of dental disease. A significant increase of both dental caries and antemortem tooth loss occurred in Modern Age individuals when compared to Medieval values, as reported for other regions. Increased trade with other continents may explain this deterioration of dental health, as food exchanges (mainly with America) contributed to diet changes for the overall population, including higher carbohydrate consumption (introduction of potatoes) at the expense of other vegetables. A sex-specific increase of dental disease with age, and a significantly higher prevalence of carious lesions in Modern Age females than in males, were also found. These changes can be explained by women having had limited access to dental care after the Middle-Modern Age transition, as a consequence of socio-cultural and political changes. In these changes, an increasing influence of the Catholic Church in Spanish society has to be noted, as it can contribute to the explanation of the unequal dental health of men and women. Women were socially excluded from dental care by regulations inspired by religious precepts.

Frequency of dental caries in four historical populations from the chalcolithic to the middle ages

The majority of dental carie studies over the course of historical period underline mainly the prevalence evolution, the role of carbohydrates consumption and the impact of access to dietary resources. The purpose of the present investigation was to compare population samples from two archaeological periods the Chacolithic and Middle Age taking into account the geographical and socio economical situation. The study concerned four archaelogical sites in south west France and population samples an inlander for the Chalcolithic Age, an inlander, an costal and urban for the Middle Age. The materials studied included a total of 127 maxillaries, 103 mandibles and 3316 teeth. Data recorded allowed us to display that the Chalcolithic population sample had the lowest carie percentage and the rural inlander population samples of Middle Age the highest; in all cases molars were teeth most often affected. These ones differences could be explained according to time period, carious lesions were usually less recorded in the Chalcolithic Age than the Middle because of a lesser cultivation of cereals like in les Treilles Chacolithic population sample. In the Middle Age population samples, the rural inland sample Marsan showed the highest frequency of caries and ate more cereal than the coastal Vilarnau and the poor urban St Michel population samples, the first one ate fish and Mediterranean vegetal and fruits and the second one met difficulties to food access, in both cases the consumption of carbohydrates was lesser than Marsan population sample who lived in a geographical land convice to cereals cultivation.