Abnormal Tooth Wear Caused by Tool Use Found in the Cemetery of Szalaszend, Hungary, Dated to the Period of the Hungarian Conquest (10th c.)

Abstract

The Archaeological Heritage Directorate of the Hungarian National Museum conducted excavations in 2018 preceding the construction of motorway M30. The site of Szalaszend–Kis-és Nagyhegy in north-east Hungary is located south of a Bronze Age earth mound. Only a few burials were brought to light from the 10th century, however, this assemblage revealed a fair amount of valuable archaeological and anthropological data. From an anthropological point of view, burial no. SNR407 was most significant, as these remains offered a glimpse into the lifestyle of this 10th-century population. The abnormal wear observed on the enamel of a front tooth of the male individual can be interpreted as a sign of a tooth-tool use, suggesting an activity when a hard object is held by the teeth during an activity that requires the use of both hands.