SEX DIFFERENCES IN DENTAL LESIONS AT TEPE HISSAR DURING PERIODS OF STRESS
Date
2017-05
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Cross-culturally, women often have lower social status than men and this may
be manifest in differences in health. In many societies females display a greater
prevalence of caries than males, suggesting poorer dental health. However, no clear
pattern has been established for sex differences in linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) an
independent indicator of stress. The dentition is the only part of the skeleton that
directly interacts with the environment (Guatelli-Steinberg, 2016). Dental health is one
way of examining the social and economic status of individuals within a culture. In
many societies females display greater prevalence of dental caries (CAR) than males,
suggesting poorer dental health, and potentially a lower social status. However, no
clear pattern has been established for sex differences in linear enamel hypoplasia
(LEH) an independent indicator of stress. In this thesis, I explore sex differences in
LEH and CAR at the prehistoric Tepe Hissar site (located in the north-eastern Central
Iranian Plateau) to examine sex differences in health and in social status. I examine
dental lesions such as linear enamel hypoplasia, dental caries, and abscesses, and infer
sex differences in stress and the different life experiences of men and women through
time. 71 individuals from Tepe Hissar were macroscopically analyzed for LEH,
carious lesions, and abscesses, and dental measurements were taken following
Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994). The only statistically significant sex difference was in
linear enamel hypoplasia (found via a chi-square test at a .05 confidence level). The
females displayed a higher presence and prevalence of LEH than their male
counterparts, according to a chi-squared test. Dental caries and abscesses had no
statistically significant findings. Males and females had similar average ages for LEH
development on canines and molars. These data illustrate more LEH in females,
indicating that males may have been favored, even during periods of stress. This
conclusion is corroborated by higher rates of tooth loss and osteoporosis in females.
This finding helps us to understand sex differences in stress indicators, sex, and
societal status.
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Keywords
Anthropology, SEX DIFFERENCES,DENTAL LESIONS