The relationship between microwear on human teeth and nutrition: Samples from ancient Anatolian societies

Serpil Özdemir, Alper Yener Yavuz, Ayla Sevim Erol

Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey.
Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Letters, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.

DOI: 10.4236/ns.2013.54058                

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.

Keywords

Microwear; Macrowear; Facet; Age; Sex

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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