Frequency Of Linear Enamel Hypoplasia Research Articles

Difference in linear enamel hypoplasia frequency between the 16<sup>th</sup>- to 19<sup>th</sup>-century agrarian populations of the Korean Joseon dynasty and Siberian Russia

Difference in linear enamel hypoplasia frequency between the 16<sup>th</sup>- to 19<sup>th</sup>-century agrarian populations of the Korean Joseon dynasty and Siberian Russia

Health, stress, and urbanism in the Hellenistic–Roman metropolis of Nea Paphos, Cyprus: A comparative analysis

AbstractWe explore health and stress in the urban metropolis Nea Paphos (Cyprus) and its surrounding territory during the Hellenistic (312–58 BC) and Roman (58 BC to 395 AD) periods, through a bioarchaeological study. Data were acquired from macroscopic analyses of human remains from two necropoleis in Paphos district: the Eastern Necropolis of Nea Paphos (minimum number of individuals = 165) and the necropolis of Ktima‐Upper City (minimum number of individuals = 207). Data have been acquired from adult/nonadult and male/female individuals through analysis of specific health indicators. These are porotic hyperostosis (PH), cribra orbitalia (CO), and linear enamel hypoplasia. Overall, health indicators were recorded in low to moderate frequencies in both sites. Ktima‐Upper City showed higher frequency of linear enamel hypoplasia (31.8%) compared with Nea Paphos (9.4%), while PH and CO were more prevalent within Eastern Necropolis (CO: 31.3% vs 8% and PH: 29.2% vs 13.9%) suggesting that people living in the capital were more exposed to factors causing CO and PH, during childhood. Intrasite analysis showed differences between the two sexes and the occurrence of health stressors. These factors are likely linked with social, cultural, and dietary differences, subsequently reflecting a larger and more heterogeneous population within and between the two sites. The findings suggest that there are differences between urban Nea Paphos and Ktima‐Upper City. These differences are not major yet indicating some division between the two groups. This study is one of the first to investigate urbanism and health in ancient Cyprus, with focus on the Hellenistic–Roman periods. The comparison of the two sites provides new insights into the health of Hellenistic–Roman Cypriot populations, enabling future investigation and comparison between urban–rural regional and neighboring sites.

Chronology, duration, and periodicity of linear enamel hypoplasia at the late Iron Age site Non Ban Jak, Thailand: A quantitative microscopic analysis

We provide the first application of a quantitative microscopic approach that does not rely on the presence of perikymata for the identification and comprehensive analysis of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) to a large archaeological sample from Southeast Asia. Additionally, we introduce MicroPolySharp, a new computer program that automates the assessment of these stress episodes, and we present new dental crown width/height ratios for the region.Enamel surface depth profiles were measured from epoxy dental replicas generated from 48 individuals using a confocal microscope. The identification and analysis of LEH episodes was undertaken using MicroPolySharp, which combines three recently published methods specifically suited to worn archaeological samples. Ten parameters were examined: frequency, prevalence, episode duration, stress duration, recovery duration, age at first onset, age at last onset, total growth disruption, proportion of available enamel affected, and periodicity.Results revealed a high prevalence of LEH: 97.92 % (47/48) individuals affected. LEH frequency averaged 2.5 episodes per individual (range = 1 to 4 episodes). The chronology of episodes averaged 3.66 years (range = 1.4 to 5.5 years). The age of earliest episode occurrence averaged 3.1 years (range = 1.4 to 4.2 years). While the age of last episode averaged 4.3 years (range = 2.9 to 5.5 years). Duration of growth disruptions (stress + recovery) averaged 103 days (range = 27 to 269 days). Consistent with other studies, the average duration of the stress portion of episodes was 56 days (range = 9 days to 6.4 months) while the duration of the recovery portion averaged 47 days (range = 8 days to 5 months). The total amount of growth disruption for individuals averaged 263 days (range = 87 to 543 days). The proportion of available crown height affected by growth disruption averaged 21 % (range = 6 % to 42 %), while LEH periodicity for the sample averaged 8.6 months (range = 2.4–23 months). Stress and recovery durations, along with age at first episode, were the most sensitive and useful parameters for discerning differences between the subgroups of interest. Finally, the effects of any amount of variable crown height wear within the study group was found to have a significant confounding effect on all aspects of LEH results and interpretation if not properly controlled. Given the high prevalence, all individuals were, for the most part, equally affected. Future analysis of samples from the periods prior to and leading up to the Late Iron Age from nearby sites will be required to provide much needed context to the high levels of systemic stress observed at Non Ban Jak.

Resource Distribution and Health at Tijeras Pueblo (LA 581)

Tijeras Pueblo (LA 581) is a Pueblo IV period site in New Mexico. This study addresses two research goals: first, to examine burial distribution for indicators of spatial clustering, and second, to test whether association to such units affected resource access and the health of individuals. Using geographic information systems (GIS), I define spatial units applying Nearest Neighbor and Kernel Density Analysis. Osteological data, including age, sex, and health indicators, as well as mortuary data, serve to examine the interrelatedness between spatial units and resource distribution. Data stem from 55 individuals excavated from Tijeras Pueblo during the 1970s. Results show a significant clustering of burials associated with room blocks, interpreted as household units. No hierarchical differences between households were found based on burial goods, although some types of burial goods varied in frequency between the clusters. Differences exist in the frequency of linear enamel hypoplasia.

Exploring dietary practices in non‐adults of the Late Bronze Age Southern Urals: A perspective from dental attributes

AbstractThe article provides a bioarchaeological perspective on the dietary practices of the Late Bronze Age Southern Ural communities, which once inhabited the steppe and forest‐steppe zones of modern Bashkiria (Russia), via studying the pathological dental conditions and aspects of dental tooth use in skeletal remains from four kurgan cemeteries. As children and adolescents constitute the majority of the skeletal remains, the focus is on non‐adult dentition. The cemeteries were used by Srubnaya and Srubnaya‐Alakul communities that are believed to have been settled pastoralists. Despite the absence of convincing archaeological evidence, the existence of secondary‐role agriculture in these communities has not been ruled out. The studied sample includes 38 non‐adults (<18 years of age). The dental attributes studied were linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH), caries, dental calculus, dental wear, and antemortem enamel chipping. In total, the sample showed no cases of caries, a very high frequency of dental calculus, and a frequency of enamel chips that increased with age. The rate of dental wear seems to be mild, though there is a need for comparative data on non‐adults. The frequency of LEH was relatively low and the defects peaked at about 2–4 years of age. Basically, the Bashkirian Late Bronze Age (LBA) non‐adult sample fits well into the larger picture of the Bronze Age pastoralists from the Volga‐Ural and Trans‐Ural steppes. Given the archaeological evidence and the prevalence of the studied dental characteristics, the data are consistent with a society primarily reliant on meat and milk products.

Were late Gomphotheres (Plio-Pleistocene) of the Siwaliks at more Stress as Compared to early Gomphotheres (middle to late Miocene)?

Gomphotheres existed in the Siwaliks from the middle Miocene (14.2Ma) to the middle Pleistocene (0.8Ma) and became extinct later on. In this paper, we tried to discuss the reasons of such extinction of gomphotheres in the lower Pleistocene time span by considering Linear Enamel Hypoplasia (LEH) among 114 isolated tooth samples to assess whether ecological changes correlate with the stress factor in gomphotheres. For this purpose, the Siwalik gomphotheres were divided into two Groups viz. early gomphotheres (middle Miocene to late Miocene) and late gomphotheres (Pliocene to middle Pleistocene). We presented the hypothesis, that as the gomphotheres are characterized by the brachydonty and relied on browsing for their feeding while inhabiting the semi forest land setting thus, expected to have higher stress in Plio-Pleistocene time span as vegetational change around ~6 Ma may have exerted stress on late gomphotheres. The results for the occurrence of frequency of LEH indicated severe ecological stress in late gomphotheres (33%). The significant differences were found (P < 0.05) among the early gomphotheres and late gomphotheres which can be correlated to the vegetational change from C3 to C4, higher aridity indices and intensified seasonality after the late Miocene vegetational shift which may have resulted in substantial faunal turnover, extinction and speciation. We assume that such palaeoecological changes forced a competition with more pronounced grazers like of family Elephantidae and Bovidae resulting in extinction of gomphotheres during the late Pleistocene in the Siwaliks of Pakistan.

An integrative approach to studying plasticity in growth disruption and outcomes: A bioarchaeological case study of Napoleonic soldiers.

The aim of this study was to investigate how much variation in adult stature and body mass can be explained by growth disruption among soldiers who served in Napoleon's Grand Army during the Russian Campaign of 1812. Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) were recorded as representations of early life growth disruption, while the impact on future growth was assessed using maximum femur length (n = 73) as a proxy for stature and maximum femoral head diameter (n = 25) as a proxy for body mass. LEH frequency, severity, age at first formation, and age at last formation served as explanatory variables in a multiple regression analysis to test the effect of these variables on maximum femur length and maximum femoral head diameter. The multiple regression model produced statistically significant results for maximum femur length (F-statistic = 3.05, df = 5 and 67, P = .02), with some variation in stature (adjusted r2 = 0.13) attributable to variation in growth disruption. The multiple regression model for maximum femoral head diameter was not statistically significant (F-statistic = 1.87, df = 5 and 19, P = .15). We hypothesized stress events during early life growth and development would have significant, negative, and cumulative effects on growth outcomes in adulthood. The results did not support our hypothesis. Instead, some variables and interactions had negative effects on stature, whereas others had positive effects. This is likely due to catch-up growth, the relationship between acute and chronic stress and growth, resilience, and plasticity in human growth over the life course.

Insights on patterns of developmental disturbances from the analysis of linear enamel hypoplasia in a Neolithic sample from Liguria (northwestern Italy)

ObjectiveTo assess developmental disturbances through the analysis of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) frequency and to infer environmental stress and life history within Neolithic communities from Liguria (Italy). Materials43 unworn/minimally worn permanent anterior teeth of 13 individuals recovered from nearby caves and dated to c. 4800−4400 cal. BCE. MethodsLEH defects were identified with high-resolution macrophotos of dental replicas, age at LEH was calculated via perikymata counts. LEH defects matched between two or more teeth were considered as systemic disturbances. LEH frequency by age classes was analyzed via GLZ and Friedman ANOVA. ResultsNumber of matched defects per individual range between 2–12. The mean LEH per individual was highest in the 2.5–2.99 age category, with a significant increase relative to earlier growth stages, followed by a decline. ConclusionLEH may reflect life-history in the local ecology of Neolithic Liguria, where several individuals with osteoarticular tuberculosis have been recorded. Disease burden may have triggered developmental disturbances around the time of weaning. Age at first defect was negatively correlated with age at death and positively with the total number of defects, suggesting that early stress may have affected survivorship. SignificanceThe study contributes to the reconstruction of ecological pressures among Neolithic people of Liguria, and informs on environmental challenges during the Neolithic adaptive expansion. LimitationsThe visual examination of macrophotos is prone to observer error; mid-crown tends to display more visible LEH due to tooth architecture. Suggestions for further researchApply different quantitative methods to examine severity and duration of disturbances.

A probable genetic origin for pitting enamel hypoplasia on the molars of Paranthropus robustus

We report the frequencies of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) and, specifically, pitting enamel hypoplasia (PEH) defects in the teeth of Paranthropus robustus, for comparison with four other South African hominin species and three extant nonhuman primate species. Unlike LEH, the lesser known PEH is characterized by multiple circular depression defects across a tooth crown and is often difficult to interpret in terms of developmental timing and etiology. Teeth in all samples were examined macroscopically with type, position and number of defects recorded. Frequencies of teeth with LEH vary among hominin species, but the differences in PEH are considerable. That is, P. robustus has much higher rates of pitting defects, with 47% of deciduous teeth and 14% of permanent teeth affected, relative to 6.7% and 4.3%, respectively, for all other hominin teeth combined; none of the extant primate samples evidences comparable rates. The defects on P. robustus molars are unlike those in other species, with entire crowns often covered in small circular depressions. The PEH is most consistent with modern human examples of amelogenesis imperfecta. Additionally, the defects are: 1) not found on anterior teeth, 2) uniform in shape and size, and 3) similar in appearance/severity on all molars. Therefore, this form of PEH may have been a side effect of selection on another trait that shares the same coding gene(s), i.e., these defects have a genetic origin. We discuss a possible scenario that may explain how this form of PEH evolved to become so common in the Paranthropus genus.

Enamel Hypoplasia Related to Historical Famine Stress in the Contemporary Chinese Population

Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH), a defect in enamel formation, has been frequently attributed to malnutrition and other physiological stress during periods of enamel development (Sarnat and Schour, 1941; Kreshover, 1960). LEH has been widely used as an indicator of developmental stress in skeletal studies among historic and prehistoric populations (Goodman et al., 1980; Corruccini et al., 1985; Goodman and Rose, 1990). A study of 3,014 subjects in 26 birth-year cohorts, samples from urban and rural communities of China, indicated that significant differences in LEH frequencies occurred between persons whose teeth developed during the famine years (1959-1961) and those whoe teeth calcified during non-famine years. This result points to a causal link between enamel hypoplasia and childhood nutritional stress at the population level, and casts some light on the magnitude and effects of the little-documented Chinese famine.

Assessing childhood stress in early mediaeval Croatia by using multiple lines of inquiry.

Childhood stress, using both subadult and adult remains from early mediaeval (8th-11th c. CE) sites on the eastern Adriatic coast is analysed in this report. A total of 242 individuals (83 subadults, 69 adult females, and 90 adult males) were assessed for the presence of linear enamel hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia, sub-periosteal new bone formation, and scurvy. In addition, the dietary profile of nine subadults was assessed by the analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes from bulk collagen. Over three quarters of individuals with preserved permanent dentition (44/56 or 78.6%) exhibited evidence of linear enamel hypoplasia, while analysis of the onset of this condition shows that all defects formed between 1.2 and 5.6 years of age. Cribra orbitalia was identified in 60 out of 190 individuals with preserved frontal bones (31.6%). Sub-periosteal new bone formation was recorded in 42.6% of analysed subadults (29/68) with fourteen cases still active at the time of death. Additionally, scurvy was identified in three subadults. The isotopic study of carbon and nitrogen suggests that diet of the analysed subadults was based on terrestrial C3 resources, with a varying input from C4 and a low intake of marine resources. The presented study strongly indicates that a large majority of the analysed individuals suffered from poor health during their childhood as indicated by the high frequencies of linear enamel hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia and sub-periosteal new bone formation.

Stress, sex, and plague: Patterns of developmental stress and survival in pre- and post-Black Death London.

Previous research revealed declines in survivorship in London before the Black Death (c. 1346-1353), and improvements in survivorship following the epidemic. These trends indicate that there were declines in general levels of health before the Black Death and improvements thereof afterwards. This study expands on previous research by examining whether changes in survivorship were consistent between the sexes, and how patterns of developmental stress markers changed before and after the Black Death. This study uses samples from London cemeteries dated to one of three periods: Early Pre-Black Death (1000-1200 AD, n = 255), Late Pre-Black Death (1200-1250 AD, n = 247), or Post-Black Death (1350-1540 AD n = 329). Temporal trends in survivorship are assessed via Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and trends in tibial length (as a proxy for stature) and linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) are assessed using t-tests and Chi-square tests, respectively. Survivorship for both sexes decreased before the Black Death and increased afterwards. For males, LEH frequencies increased and stature decreased before the epidemic, and LEH declined and stature increased after the Black Death. For females, the only significant change with respect to developmental stress markers was a decrease in stature after the Black Death. These results might reflect variation between the sexes in sensitivity to stressors, the effects of nutrition on pubertal timing, disproportionate access to dietary resources for males in the aftermath of the Black Death, the disproportionate deaths of frail individuals during the epidemic, or some combination of these factors.

Transition to agriculture in South-Eastern Arabia: Insights from oral conditions.

In Southeast (SE) Arabia, agriculture is supposed to expand around 3000 BC, but its tempo and its actual role in populations' subsistence is still debated by archaeologists. Here, we compare dental health conditions of 11 skeletal samples from coastal and inland sites, dated from the Late Neolithic (ca. 4500-3100 BC) to the Early Bronze Age (EBA), conventionally divided into Hafit (ca. 3100-2700 BC) and Umm an-Nar period (ca. 2700-2000 BC). The goal is to assess long-term trends in subsistence patterns and regional variability during the local transition to agriculture. Seven indicators of oral health and childhood stress were analyzed, including dental wear, calculus, caries, alveolar resorption, periapical lesions, ante-mortem tooth loss (AMTL), and linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH). Neolithic coastal populations are globally characterized by high dental wear, high calculus frequency, high LEH frequency, and frequent periodontal disease, whereas they exhibit low abscesses and AMTL frequencies and a total absence of carious lesions. Samples from the Hafit period present high dental wear, low rates of calculus and LEH, frequent periodontal disease, combined with low abscess and AMTL frequencies and absence of caries. By contrast, samples from the Umm an-Nar period exhibit much lower dental wear, calculus and LEH rates, whereas caries, periapical lesions and AMTL frequencies increase significantly. Marked differences were observed between coastal and inland Umm an-Nar groups, the latter presenting significantly higher frequencies of caries, periapical lesions, alveolar resorption and AMTL. Oral conditions from the Neolithic coastal populations denote a diet mainly composed of unprocessed and abrasive food, with high protein and low carbohydrate intakes, and frequent stress episodes. Although Hafit populations display some changes in oral pathologies, which indicate modifications in their lifestyle and a diversification of the diet, no markers of high carbohydrate intakes were observed in our samples. The impact of agriculture on oral health appears clearly only from the Umm an-Nar period, and is more intense inland than on the coast, where marine resources are still a main component of the diet.

Linear enamel hypoplasia in Schroeder Mounds (11HE177): A Late Woodland period site in Illinois

Adults and subadults recovered from the Late Woodland period (∼A.D. 800–1100) Schroeder Mounds site (11HE177) from west-central Illinois who preserve permanent incisors and/or canines (N=46) were examined for the presence of macroscopically visible linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) by case, by tooth type, number of hypoplastic defects by tooth type, and estimated developmental age of occurrence. The raw case frequency of LEH (16/46) is 34.8 percent. The Schroeder Mounds subadults (N=15) have a higher case frequency (i.e., 60 percent versus 22.6 percent), number of stress episodes per tooth, and a longer developmental age range of hypoplastic defects than the adults. With no subsistence or settlement context, the Schroeder Mounds sample was compared to published (solely) adult LEH data from eight western Illinois sites segregable as either Middle (∼50 B.C.–A.D. 400) and Late Woodland period semi-sedentary forager-horticulturalists or Mississippian period (∼A.D. 1150–1250) sedentary (i.e., large aggregated village) maize-intensive agriculturalists. The adult Schroeder Mounds LEH patterns align with the Woodland samples with minor differences inclining the Schroeder sample toward a forager-farmer subsistence/settlement strategy. The Schroeder Mounds subadult patterns and prevalence may reflect factors that contributed toward their early death. Whether these factors can be framed by the subsistence/settlement system will require comparative data.

A bioarchaeological analysis of oral and physiological health on the south coast of New Guinea.

The south coast of New Guinea has a complex prehistory known for its exchange systems that linked distinct cultural groups living along the coast, inland, and on offshore islands. Here we compare the palaeohealth of two relatively contemporaneous skeletal samples from the south coast of New Guinea (850-200 BP) that were from two ecologically different sites (one inland and one offshore island) and likely represent distinct cultural groups. We aim to elucidate health patterns that may provide information about the specific lifeways and quality of life of each community. Oral conditions (caries, calculus, alveolar lesions, and antemortem tooth loss [AMTL]) were analyzed macroscopically to assess possible intra- and inter-population variation in oral and physiological health. The frequency of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) was also used as a nonspecific indicator of stress to assess childhood health at each site. The inhabitants from the small offshore island of Motupore, thought to be associated with Austronesian-speaking Motu tribes, displayed different patterns of oral pathological conditions (more carious lesions on the tooth crown and calculus) and LEH (lower frequencies) compared with inland people residing at the site of Nebira. It is suggested that the causes for the variation in oral and physiological health were likely multifactorial and potentially associated with variables such as the ecological and geographical settings of the sites, cultural differences, infectious disease, differential fertility and, potentially, diet. This research provides previously unknown information about possible culturally-moderated practices that affected health in the past. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:414-426, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Early urbanization and mobility at Tell Brak, NE Syria: the evidence from femoral and tibial external shaft shape

Urbanization at Tell Brak began in the late 5th millennium BCE and the site reached its maximum size in the Late Chalcolithic (LC) 3, ca. 3900–3600 BCE. During that time, a large midden was formed at the edge of the early city, now known as Tell Majnuna. Rescue excavations at Tell Majnuna revealed several clusters of commingled human remains and a cemetery on the top. Several human skeletons dated to the LC 3 and Early Bronze Age (EBA) were found also at Tell Brak itself and it was possible to investigate differences in cross-sectional femoral and tibial shaft shapes between LC 3 and EBA to test the hypothesis that rapid and extensive urbanization in the LC 3 induced increase in mobility. External midshaft and subtrochanteric measurements of at least 152 femora and measurements of 55 tibiae at the nutrient foramen were taken to investigate the differences in the level of terrestrial mobility between four LC 3 and one EBA chronological subsets. Also the correlation was examined between shaft cross-sectional shapes and frequency of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) in canines, as a proxy indicator of population stress. Due to post-mortem damage, sex assessment was based only on the size of measured bones. In spite of the limited quality of the gathered data, significant differences in femoral midshaft shape in males were observed between the LC 3 and EBA subsets and the average shape index scores appeared to be correlated with the LEH frequencies. No such result was obtained for females, suggesting that only males were more mobile in the LC 3 and their mobility level was associated with general population stress. In contrast, in females the average shape of subtrochanteric femoral cross-section was more variable between temporal subsets. The patterns of temporal differences in tibial cross-section at the nutrient foramen were not conclusive due to the small sample size. Obtained results suggest that males in the LC 3, the period of rapid urbanization, were more mobile than in the EBA, when the population size was considerably smaller. This mobility may have been related to need of searching for alternative resources for the overpopulated early city.

Relative long bone proportions and developmental stress in a modern Thai population (919.2)

Research on relative limb proportions has revealed interesting patterns of variability with regards to environment. Since there have been few attempts to correlate variability in limb proportion with unrelated stress indicators, this study examined long bone length ratios and linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) frequency in a modern Thai population. Inter‐limb indices were calculated for 259 adults (105 F/154 M) and compared with LEH frequency. A Spearman’s correlation coefficient analysis indicated significantly shorter relative distal limb lengths in the lower limbs of individuals with high LEH frequencies. This was strongest in females, with significant correlations in the tibia/femur (p=0.038) and the fibula/femur ratios (p=0.009) of both sides, as well as a high correlation between LEH frequency and stature. In males, only the left fibula/femur ratio (p=0.008) demonstrated a significant relationship with LEH frequencies. No correlation between stature and LEH frequency was found in males, or in the upper limbs of either sex. These findings support the claim that distal limb growth is more affected by developmental stress than proximal growth. The disparity of upper and lower limb response, in addition to the relationship between sex and observed correlations, may have significant implications for our understanding of human limb development and catch‐up growth.

The possible correlation between dental enamel hypoplasia and a historic natural disaster in the Roman population of Herculaneum (79 AD ? central Italy)

Dental enamel hypoplasia is usually read as a sign of a systematic growth disturbance during childhood. Following the analysis of human teeth from Herculaneum (79 AD, Central Italy), the authors focused on linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) manifestations in order to delineate a possible correlation between their frequency and distribution and the earthquake that occurred in 62 AD, which is well documented in historical literature. The human remains from Herculaneum were buried at the same time as the Vesuvius eruption and represent an exceptional snapshot of life in the Roman Imperial Age. The Goodman and Rose method (1990) was used for attributing an "age at the moment of stress" for every skeleton in order to delineate the epidemiology of the enamel hypoplasia. When LEH frequency was analysed by age, two different age groups showed relevant patterns of hypoplasia: the first peak was evident in individuals between 14 and 20 years who were younger than 6 years at the time of the 62 AD earthquake, and a second peak was noted in adults of 30 +/- 5 years old, which suggests the presence of another stressful event that occurred 10 years before the earthquake, around 53 AD. The bimodal distribution of enamel hypoplasia could be the consequence of two different historical periods characterized by instability in the food supply, unhygienic conditions, and epidemic episodes; our data suggest that the first peak could be related to a decline in health status as an effect of the 62 AD earthquake. The relationship between recent natural disasters and variations in health status in modern populations is well documented in scientific literature. Our research represents the first attempt to correlate the status of health to an earthquake of known date in an archaeological population.

A comparative study of stress episode prevalence and duration among jomon period foragers from hokkaido

This study reconstructs linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) prevalence and stress episode duration among Jomon period foragers from Hokkaido, Japan (HKJ). Results are compared to Jomon period samples from coastal Honshu, Japan (HSJ) and Tigara Inupiat from Point Hope, Alaska (PHT) to provide a more comprehensive perspective on the manifestation of stress among circum-Pacific foragers. LEH were identified macro- and microscopically by enamel surface depressions and increased perikymata spacing within defects. Individuals with more than one anterior tooth affected by LEH were labeled as LEH positive. Stress episode durations were estimated by counting the number of perikymata within the occlusal wall of each LEH and multiplying that number by constants reflecting modal periodicities for modern human teeth. LEH prevalence and stress episode duration did not differ significantly between the two Jomon samples. Significantly greater frequencies of LEH were found in HKJ as compared to PHT foragers. However, HKJ foragers had significantly shorter stress episode durations as compared to PHT. This suggests that a greater proportion of HKJ individuals experienced stress episodes than did PHT individuals, but these stress events ended sooner. Similarity in stress experiences between the two Jomon samples and differences between the HKJ and PHT are found. These findings are important for two reasons. First, stress experiences of foraging populations differ markedly and cannot be generalized by subsistence strategy alone. Second, due to significant differences in episode duration, stress experiences cannot be understood using prevalence comparisons alone.

Subadult stress within the Western Pacific: Frequencies of linear enamel hypoplasia in a skeletal sample from coastal Papua New Guinea

Subadult stress within the Western Pacific: Frequencies of linear enamel hypoplasia in a skeletal sample from coastal Papua New Guinea