Multipronged dental analyses reveal dietary differences in last foragers and first farmers at Grotta Continenza, central Italy (15,500–7000 BP)

Nava, Alessia, Fiorin, Elena, Zupancich, Andrea, Carra, Marialetizia, Ottoni, Claudio, Di Carlo, Gabriele, Vozza, Iole, Brugnoletti, Orlando, Alhaique, Francesca, Grifoni Cremonesi, Renata, and others. (2021) Multipronged dental analyses reveal dietary differences in last foragers and first farmers at Grotta Continenza, central Italy (15,500–7000 BP). Scientific Reports, 11 . Article Number 4261. E-ISSN 2045-2322. (doi:10.1038/s41598-021-82401-2) (KAR id:87251)

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Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82401-2

Abstract

This paper provides results from a suite of analyses made on human dental material from the Late Palaeolithic to Neolithic strata of the cave site of Grotta Continenza situated in the Fucino Basin of the Abruzzo region of central Italy. The available human remains from this site provide a unique possibility to study ways in which forager versus farmer lifeways affected human odonto-skeletal remains. The main aim of our study is to understand palaeodietary patterns and their changes over time as reflected in teeth. These analyses involve a review of metrics and oral pathologies, micro-fossils preserved in the mineralized dental plaque, macrowear, and buccal microwear. Our results suggest that these complementary approaches support the assumption about a critical change in dental conditions and status with the introduction of Neolithic foodstuff and habits. However, we warn that different methodologies applied here provide data at different scales of resolution for detecting such changes and a multipronged approach to the study of dental collections is needed for a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of diachronic changes.

Item Type:	Article
DOI/Identification number:	10.1038/s41598-021-82401-2
Uncontrolled keywords:	Grotta Continenza, odonto-skeletal remains
Subjects:	C Auxiliary Sciences of History > CC Archaeology G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
Divisions:	Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Depositing User:	Alessia Nava
Date Deposited:	21 Mar 2021 17:43 UTC
Last Modified:	14 Nov 2022 23:11 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/87251 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Nava, Alessia.

Creator's ORCID:	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6319-0425
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