TITLE:
The relationship between microwear on human teeth and nutrition: Samples from ancient Anatolian societies
AUTHORS:
Serpil Özdemir, Alper Yener Yavuz, Ayla Sevim Erol
KEYWORDS:
Microwear; Macrowear; Facet; Age; Sex
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Science,
Vol.5 No.4,
April
19,
2013
ABSTRACT: The relationship between tooth of living species and
nutrition is so important for anthropologic researches that, it is among the
most considered issues in almost all the researches that have been made about
these topics. Tooth, as being one of the most significant materials that give
information about diet, environmental relationships and cultural structure,
has been a constant research topic. It has been proved with the researches
that, the food stuffs, which living species consumed, have a fundamental role
on tooth wear. The recently recognized micro
marks on occlusal are also evaluated carefully as well as the macro
wears, which are defined as the apparent wears on tooth enamel. These micro
marks have several characteristics about the ingredients, hardness, size and
chewing force of the nutrients. In this regard, the tooth samples of Agora of
Smyrna, Kyzikos, MinnetpInarI and Güllüdere skeletons that lived in Anatolia—also constituted the sample of this research—have been investigated and the diet of these societies
has been examined depending upon the micro marks on the teeth of these societies’
people. Firstly, the diet of these societies has been investigated by
examining micro tooth wears. Then, the relationship of these societies has been
studied. By examining micro tooth wears of these societies, it
has been discussed that whether the factors of age, sex, and facet are effective
or not on micro wear marks. As a result of this study, it has been observed
that societies that lived in different areas have different diets; and micro
marks on teeth are significant indicators of living spaces, subsistence
economies and life styles of the societies.