Calcagno J M
Am J Phys Anthropol. 1986 Jul;70(3):349-63. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330700310.
Tooth size changes among Nubian archaeological populations dating from the Mesolithic through the Christian era, a period of approximately 12,000 years, are analyzed. Standard length and breadth dimensions of all permanent teeth from several cultural horizons are combined to form three large samples: Mesolithic, 10000-70000 B.C.; Agriculturalist, 3300-1100 B.C. (A-group, C-group, Pharaonic); and Intensive Agriculturalist, A.D. 0-1400 (Meroitic, X-Group, Christian). Such information not only fills a void in the knowledge of Nubian skeletal biology, but also provides a much needed African reference point for the comparison of tooth size data among anatomically modern Homo sapiens from various regions of the world. Changes in mean tooth size and associated t-tests reveal strong and significant reduction in dental size between the Mesolithic and Agriculturalist samples, followed by a continued although diminished trend of reduction for only the molar teeth between the two Agriculturalist groups. These patterns are best observed by examining tooth breadths, which are considered as the most reliable indicator of tooth size. Previously published odontometrics of the Nubian Mesolithic are briefly compared to the findings of this diachronic analysis of Nubian dental change.
本文分析了从旧石器时代到基督教时代（约12000年）努比亚考古人群的牙齿大小变化。将来自几个文化层的所有恒牙的标准长度和宽度尺寸合并，形成三个大样本：旧石器时代（公元前10000 - 7000年）；农业时代（公元前3300 - 1100年，包括A组、C组、法老时期）；以及集约农业时代（公元0 - 1400年，包括麦罗埃时期、X组、基督教时期）。这些信息不仅填补了努比亚骨骼生物学知识的空白，还为比较世界不同地区解剖学上现代智人的牙齿大小数据提供了急需的非洲参考点。平均牙齿大小的变化及相关t检验显示，旧石器时代样本与农业时代样本之间牙齿大小有显著且强烈的减小，随后在两个农业时代群体之间，仅磨牙的牙齿大小呈现出持续但减弱的减小趋势。通过检查牙齿宽度能最好地观察到这些模式，牙齿宽度被认为是牙齿大小最可靠的指标。本文还简要比较了之前发表的努比亚旧石器时代的牙齿测量数据与此次努比亚牙齿变化历时性分析的结果。
