| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立清華大學 === 人類學研究所 === 103 === The degree of dental attrition is the most commonly used method of age determination in the studies of archaeology and physical anthropology, and also reflects certain material aspects of culture. In view of this, this study focused on the issues related to dental attrition, and the tooth usage pattern of people from Dahu Culture, and its reflection on differences in gender and age, through observation of physical characteristics such as degree of dental attrition, attrition form and dental pathology, in combination with contextual analysis in archaeology.
This study used human bones from the WK Site and NNK Site as the study materials, and the observation results showed that the attrition degrees of teeth were mainly affected by eruption sequence and age. With the exception of maxillary lateral incisor and the second molar, the attrition degrees of the remaining teeth increased with age and and slightly down after 45 year-old. As for the form of attrition, it was also affected by age, and there was difference between the anterior and posterior of teeth. In addition, as there is the tooth-pulling custom for females, anti-attrition phenomenon can be observed in female. Although the degree and form of attrition showed difference in age and gender, the significantly higher degree of attrition of anterior teeth compares to posterior teeth, and teeth form were cupped, revealed the trait of an agriculture-based population.
As for tooth pathology, occurrence rates of linear enamel hypoplasia, caries, dental calculus and alveolar absorption were high. By contrast, the occurrence rates of Alveolar abscess and alveolar rolled rim were relatively low. The high occurrence rates of linear enamel hypoplasia and caries are probably related to agricultural development or survival pressure of the surrounding, while the high rates of calculus and alveolar resorption suggest that periodontosis was a common dental disease in this population.
The study results help to explain the relationships among dental attrition, age at death and usage as well as among dental pathology, gender and age. With the foundation of the study results, a further discussion and research on dietary habits, business activities and sexual division of labors in Dahu culture can be expected.
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