Aspects of health in prehistoric mainland Southeast Asia

Indicators of stress in response to the intensification of rice agriculture

Bibliographic Data

ID8312153
AuthorsAngela L Clark (0000-0003-0433-4254, Department of Anatomy University of Otago Dunedin 9054 New Zealand, corresponding author), Nancy Tayles (Department of Anatomy University of Otago Dunedin 9054 New Zealand), E Halcrow (0000-0001-6038-7997, Department of Anatomy University of Otago Dunedin 9054 New Zealand), Siân E Halcrow
Year2014
Volume153
Issue3
Pages484-495
Publication date2014-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.22449
PMID24338598
OpenAlexW2117196541
LanguageEN
Citations received20
References cited81

Numerous bioarcheological investigations have suggested that as agriculture intensifies, levels of physiological stress and poor health increase. However, previous research in Southeast Asia suggests that a decline in health was not universal. This study aimed to provide the first investigation of human health during the intensification of rice agriculture in the large skeletal sample from the prehistoric site of Ban Non Wat, Northeast Thailand (1750–420 b.c .). Health was analysed using two indicators of childhood stress, the prevalence of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH), a measure of early childhood stress, and stature, as a measure of late childhood stress, were collated for 190 adults. Sex‐specific diachronic relationships between the prevalence of LEH and stature were explored. For both sexes, initially the prevalence of LEH was found to decrease and then increase over time. Stature remained constant over time for males, although for females stature increased initially, then decreased. Early childhood stress was not significantly correlated with stature in females ( P = 0.185), but high levels of LEH were unexpectedly correlated with taller male stature ( P = 0.017). Our findings suggest an initial improvement in health during agricultural intensification at this site, likely related to a reduction in physiological perturbations and maintenance of a nutritious diet during this time. The subsequent deterioration in health may reflect geomorphologically and archaeologically indicated variation in environmental conditions and consequential sociocultural changes. We suggest that the sex‐differences in the relationship between stature and LEH may relate to the timing of stress and/or catch‐up growth. Am J Phys Anthropol 153:484–495, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Agriculture · Biology · Enamel hypoplasia · Geography · Mainland · Prehistory · Short stature · Tall Stature · Demography · Dentistry · Ecology · Endocrinology · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Indigenous Studies and Ecology · Medicine · Paleopathology and ancient diseases

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