Lukacs John R
Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1218, USA.
Homo. 2019 Aug 29;70(1):3-14. doi: 10.1127/homo/2019/1012.
Deciduous teeth are occasionally well represented in archaeological skeletal samples, yet their potential value in reconstructing biological adaptations of prehistoric populations is often overlooked. Independent investigations of the metric dimensions of deciduous dental remains from the Chalcolithic site of Nevasa (Deccan Plateau, western India) yield a unique opportunity to compare odontometric methods and gain insight regarding dental variation in prehistoric India. Mesiodistal (MD) and buccolingual (BL) dimensions of deciduous teeth were measured by two researchers. Intra- and inter-observer precision in dental measurements are evaluated statistically using multiple methods of comparison. Mean MD and BL dental dimensions (mm) and crown areas (MD × BL; mm) are reported for Nevasa and compared with mean crown dimensions for Inamgaon. Tooth crown size for Nevasa is evaluated using maxillary, mandibular and total crown areas. The apportionment of tooth mass to incisor and molar tooth classes permits assessment of inter-group variation. No significant differences in mean crown dimensions (MD, BL) or mean crown areas were found between Nevasa (493.6 mm) and Inamgaon (504.6 mm). While the apportionment of crown area to incisor and molar tooth classes differed, in overall size (total crown area) both sites are intermediate when compared with prehistoric and living groups from South, Southeast and East Asia. The well documented trend in reduction of permanent tooth size is paralleled by reduction in deciduous tooth size in South Asian prehistory.
乳牙偶尔会在考古骨骼样本中有很好的呈现，但它们在重建史前人群生物适应性方面的潜在价值常常被忽视。对印度西部德干高原新石器时代遗址内瓦萨的乳牙遗迹的尺寸进行独立研究，提供了一个独特的机会来比较牙齿测量方法，并深入了解史前印度的牙齿变异情况。两位研究人员测量了乳牙的近远中（MD）和颊舌（BL）尺寸。使用多种比较方法对牙齿测量中的观察者内和观察者间的精度进行了统计评估。报告了内瓦萨乳牙的平均MD和BL尺寸（毫米）以及冠面积（MD×BL；平方毫米），并与伊纳姆冈的平均冠尺寸进行了比较。使用上颌、下颌和总冠面积对内瓦萨的牙冠大小进行了评估。将牙齿质量分配到切牙和磨牙类别中，可以评估组间差异。在内瓦萨（493.6平方毫米）和伊纳姆冈（504.6平方毫米）之间，未发现平均冠尺寸（MD、BL）或平均冠面积有显著差异。虽然冠面积在切牙和磨牙类别中的分配有所不同，但与南亚、东南亚和东亚的史前及现代群体相比，两个遗址在总体大小（总冠面积）方面都处于中间水平。在南亚史前时期，乳牙尺寸的减小与恒牙尺寸减小这一有充分记录的趋势是平行的。
