Evaluation of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) in western Anatolian skeletons from the late eastern roman period (Attepe settlements and Dereköy necropolis)

Abstract

Linear Enamel Hypoplasia (LEH) provides insight of the stresses undergone by ancient communities from a bioarchaeological perspective. This is a first study aiming to determine stress factors causing LEH formation on the teeth of skeletons from two Anatolian rural communities during the Eastern Late Roman era (10th–11th centuries AD). These communities had quite high social complexities and population densities. A total of 638 permanent teeth from 52 adult individuals from these two ancient populations were investigated. The work contributes to understanding of regional archaeological communities of the period. The health conditions and growth processes of both communities were successfully estimated. LEH was mostly observed to affect canine teeth. Infants and children were exposed to severe stress during their lives but in terms of severity and band counts, it is likely that the stress factors did not cause severe damage to these populations.