The bioarchaeology of the Neolithic transition: Evidence of dental pathologies at Lepenski Vir (Serbia)

Abstract

The Neolithic transition affected human biology, which is visible as a series of interrelated skeletal and dental pathological conditions. The population of Lepenski vir culture, which inhabited the region of the Danube Gorges between 9500-5500 BC, also went through the neolithisation process. In this study, the dental pathological conditions of 32 adult individuals from the Lepenski Vir site were examined for the incidence of enamel hypoplasia, the rate of dental wear, dental caries and ante-mortem tooth loss. The results indicate changes in biology and diet of this population in the Neolithic which were associated with the introduction of non-local identities in the region.