Dental health status changes during the Neolithisation in Syria

A diachronic perspective (9,820-6,000 cal. BC)

Bibliographic Data

ID6016589
AuthorsBérénice Chamel (0009-0008-4864-7766, corresponding author)
Year2021
Issue47-1
Pages83-96
Publication date2021-10-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePaléorient (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0153-9345 • E-ISSN: 1957-701X
PublisherOpenEdition (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.4000/paleorient.921
OpenAlexW4200113438
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited42

The Neolithisation of the Near-East is a key period in the history of humanity, when huge changes occurred in subsistence economy, triggered by agriculture and animal husbandry. Other changes in lifestyle were generated by sedentarization and by the invention of pottery as a container. The aim of this study is to see if these changes in Neolithic populations are reflected in oral health status, focusing on the most relevant markers. The 312 skeletons from seven Syrian sites (Tell Qaramel, Cheikh Hassan, Dja'de el-Mughara, Tell Aswad, Abu Hureyra, Tell Mureybet and Tell Ain el-Kerkh) were systematically examined for evidence of four pathological lesions—dental caries, abscesses, ante-mortem tooth loss and periodontal disease. Data were grouped by period to determine the impact of Neolithisation in a diachronic perspective. Results reveal that changes in oral health were not linear and that the adoption of agriculture and methods of food preparation were important factors influencing health status

Agriculture · Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · Biology · Domestication · Geography · Middle East · Oral health · Perspective (graphical · Pottery · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Subsistence agriculture · Demography · Dentistry · Forensic and Genetic Research · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · History · Medicine · Paleopathology and ancient diseases · Ecology

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Open DOIOpen Access