Interpreting the oral condition in medieval European populations from a bioarchaeological perspective
Main Article Content
Abstract
Interpretation of dental ‘health’ in archaeologically derived skeletal assemblages is challenging due to the lack of patient histories, clearly understood pathological processes, broad etiologies, and cultural perceptions of health. Furthermore, the language used in description of pathological conditions of the oral cavity condition is not consistent across researchers thereby resulting in challenging cross-site comparison. Standardization of terms and description is necessary as proposed by Pilloud and Fancher (2018). This paper demonstrates the challenges associated with cross-site comparisons through an attempt to place medieval Transylvanian Székely peoples’ oral status within a larger medieval cultural and biological framework. To do this, first, a review of medieval perceptions of dental health and treatment is provided. Next, a total of 90 individuals recovered from two medieval Székely cemeteries were analyzed for age, sex, and pathological conditions of the oral cavity. The results of the analysis were then compared to other medieval skeletal assemblages reporting on dental ‘health’. Finally, a discussion of how the Székely compare to other medieval sites and the challenges faced are presented thus supporting Pilloud and Fancher’s (2018) call for standardization.
References
References
Anderson, T. (2004). Dental treatment in Medieval England. British Dental Journal 197(7):418-425.
Belcastro, G., Rastelli, E., Mariotti, V., Consiglio, C., Facchini, F., & Bonfiglioli, B. (2007). Continuity or discontinuity of the life?style in central Italy during the Roman imperial age?early middle ages transition: Diet, health, and behavior. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 132(3):381-394.
Betsinger, T.K., & DeWitte, S. 2017. Trends in mortality and biological stress in a medieval polish urban population. International Journal of Paleopathology 19:24-36.
Blevins, B., & Adams, D. (2017, April). Dental Stress Markers of a Medeval Transylvanian Popuation. Paper presented at the 86th annual meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, New Orleans, LA.
Bifulco, M., Amato, M., Gangemo, G., Marasco, M., Caggiano, M., Amato, A., & Pisanti, S. (2016). Dental care and dentistry practice in the Medieval Medical School of Salerno. British Dental Journal 221(2):1-3.
Buikstra, J.E., & Ubelaker, D.H. (1994). Standards for data collection from human skeletal remains: proceedings of a seminar at the Field Museum of Natural History, organized by Jonathan Haas: Arkansas Archeological Survey.
Caglar, E., Kuscu, O., Sandalli, N., & Ari, I. (2007). Prevalence of dental caries and tooth wear in a Byzantine population (13th cad) from northwest Turkey. Archives of Oral biology 52(12):1136-1145.
Chazel, J-C., Valcarcel, J., Tramini, P., Pelissier, B., & Mafart, B. (2005). Coronal and apical lesions, environmental factors: study in a modern and an archeological population. Clinical Oral Investigations 9(3):197-202.
Clarke, N.G., & Hirsch, R.S. (1991). Physiological, pulpal, and periodontal factors influencing alveolar bone. In: Kelly A, Larsen CS, (Eds.), Advances in dental anthropology (pp. 241-266). New York: Wiley-Liss.
DeWitte, S.N., & Bekvalac, J. (2010). Oral health and frailty in the medieval English cemetery of St Mary Graces. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 142(3):341-354.
Esclassan, R., Grimoud, A., Ruas, M., Donat, R., Sevin, A., Astie, F., Lucas, S., & Crubezy, E. (2009). Dental caries, tooth wear and diet in an adult medieval (12th–14th century) population from Mediterranean France. Archives of Oral Biology 54(3):287-297.
Irfan, U.M., Dawson, D.V., & Bissada, N.F. (2001). Epidemiology of periodontal disease: a review and clinical perspectives. Journal of International Academy of Peridontology 3(1):14-21.
Jouanna, J. (2012). The Legacy of the Hippocratic Treatise The Nature of Man: The theory of the four Humours. In: van der Eijk, P., (Ed.), Greek Medicine from Hippocrates to Galen (pp. 335-359). Leiden, Neatherlands:Brill.
Kerr, N. (1990). The prevalence and pattern of distribution of root caries in a Scottish medieval population. Journal of Dental Research 69(3):857-860.
Kerr, N., Bruce, M., & Cross, J. (1988). Caries experience in the permanent dentition of late mediaeval Scots (1300–1600 AD). Archives of Oral Biology 33(3):143-148.
King, H. (2013). Female Fluids in the Hippocratic Corpus: How Solid was the Humoral Body? In: Horden, P., & Hsu, E. (Eds.), Humoral Medicines in Practice (pp. 25-52). New York, NY: Berghahn Books.
Lingström, P., & Borrman, H. (1999). Distribution of dental caries in an early 17th century Swedish population with special reference to diet. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 9(6):395-403.
Lopez, B., Pardiñas, A., Garcia-Vazquez, E., & Dopico, E. (2012). Socio-cultural factors in dental diseases in the Medieval and early Modern Age of northern Spain. Homo: Internationale Zeitschrift fur die vergleichende Forschung am Menschen 63(1):21-42.
Meinl, A., Rottensteiner, G., Huber, C., Tangl, S., Watzak, G., & Watzek, G. (2010). Caries frequency and distribution in an early medieval Avar population from Austria. Oral Diseases 16(1):108-116.
Molnár, Z., Gellény, K., Margóczi, K., & Biró, M. (2015). Landscape ethnoecological knowledge base and management of ecosystem services in a Székely-Hungarian pre-capitalistic village system (Transylvania, Romania). Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 11(3):1-22. http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/11/1/3
Müller, A., & Hussein, K. (2017). Meta-analysis of teeth from European populations before and after the 18th century reveals a shift towards increased prevalence of caries and tooth loss. Archives of Oral Biology 73:7-15.
Novak, M. (2015). Dental health and diet in early medieval Ireland. Archives of Oral Biology 60(9):1299-1309.
Novak, M., Martin?i?, O., Strinovi?, D., & Šlaus, M. (2012). Skeletal and dental indicators of health in the late mediaeval (12–15th century) population from Nin, southern Croatia. HOMO-Journal of Comparative Human Biology 63(6):435-450.
Nyárádi, Z. (2013). A Fenyédi Csonkatemplom régészeti feltárása. Paper presented at the Haáz Rezs? Museum. Székelyudvarhely, Romania.
Nyárádi, Z. (2015). Report De Cercetare Arheologic? Preventiv?. V?leni-„Papdomb” Biserica medieval. Campania 2015. Muzeu Haás Rezs? Museum.
Pelling, M. (1998). The Common Lot: Sickness, Medical Occupations and the Urban Poor in Early Modern England. London: Routledge.
Pilloud, M.A., & Fancher, J.P. (2018, April). Outlining a Definition of Oral Health within the Study of Human Skeletal Remains. Paper presented at the 87th annual meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Austin, TX.
Reitsema, L.R., & McIlvaine, B.A. (2014). Reconciling “Stress” and “Health” in Physical Anthropology: What can Bioarchaeologists Learn From the Other Subdisciplines?. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 155:181-185.
Šlaus, M. (2008). Osteological and dental markers of health in the transition from the Late Antique to the Early Medieval period in Croatia. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 136(4):455-469.
Šlaus, M., Bedi?, Ž., Šikanji?, P.R., Vodanovi?, M., & Kuni?, A.D. (2010). Dental health at the transition from the Late Antique to the early Medieval period on Croatia's eastern Adriatic coast. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 21(5):577-590.
Šlaus, M., Pe?ina-Hrn?evi?, A., & Jakovljevi?, G. (1997). Dental disease in the late medieval population from Nova Ra?a, Croatia. Collegium Antropologicum 21(2):561-572.
Sreji?, M.D. (2001). Dental paleopathology in a Serbian medieval population. Anthropologischer Anzeiger 59(2):113-122.
Stránská, P., Velemínský, P., & Polá?ek, L. (2015). The prevalence and distribution of dental caries in four early medieval non-adult populations of different socioeconomic status from Central Europe. Archives of Oral Biology 60(1):62-76.
Varrela, T.M. (1991). Prevalence and distribution of dental caries in a late medieval population in Finland. Archives of Oral Biology 36(8):553-559.
Vodanovi?, M., Hrvoje, B., Mario, Š., & Željko, D. (2005). The frequency and distribution of caries in the mediaeval population of Bijelo Brdo in Croatia (10th–11th century). Archives of Oral Biology 50(7):669-680.
Watt, M.E., Lunt, D.A., & Gilmour, W.H. (1997). Caries prevalence in the permanent dentition of a mediaeval population from the south-west of Scotland. Archives of Oral Biology 42(9):601-620.
World Health Organizaton. (1948, April 7). Preamble to the Constitution of WHO as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19 June - 22 July 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States. Official Records of WHO 2:100. https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/frequently-asked-questions
Zejdlik, K. (2015). Archaeotek Summer Field Season 2015: Medieval Funerary Excavations at Papdomb, Patakfalva. On file with ArchaeoTek Canada, LLC.
Anderson, T. (2004). Dental treatment in Medieval England. British Dental Journal 197(7):418-425.
Belcastro, G., Rastelli, E., Mariotti, V., Consiglio, C., Facchini, F., & Bonfiglioli, B. (2007). Continuity or discontinuity of the life?style in central Italy during the Roman imperial age?early middle ages transition: Diet, health, and behavior. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 132(3):381-394.
Betsinger, T.K., & DeWitte, S. 2017. Trends in mortality and biological stress in a medieval polish urban population. International Journal of Paleopathology 19:24-36.
Blevins, B., & Adams, D. (2017, April). Dental Stress Markers of a Medeval Transylvanian Popuation. Paper presented at the 86th annual meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, New Orleans, LA.
Bifulco, M., Amato, M., Gangemo, G., Marasco, M., Caggiano, M., Amato, A., & Pisanti, S. (2016). Dental care and dentistry practice in the Medieval Medical School of Salerno. British Dental Journal 221(2):1-3.
Buikstra, J.E., & Ubelaker, D.H. (1994). Standards for data collection from human skeletal remains: proceedings of a seminar at the Field Museum of Natural History, organized by Jonathan Haas: Arkansas Archeological Survey.
Caglar, E., Kuscu, O., Sandalli, N., & Ari, I. (2007). Prevalence of dental caries and tooth wear in a Byzantine population (13th cad) from northwest Turkey. Archives of Oral biology 52(12):1136-1145.
Chazel, J-C., Valcarcel, J., Tramini, P., Pelissier, B., & Mafart, B. (2005). Coronal and apical lesions, environmental factors: study in a modern and an archeological population. Clinical Oral Investigations 9(3):197-202.
Clarke, N.G., & Hirsch, R.S. (1991). Physiological, pulpal, and periodontal factors influencing alveolar bone. In: Kelly A, Larsen CS, (Eds.), Advances in dental anthropology (pp. 241-266). New York: Wiley-Liss.
DeWitte, S.N., & Bekvalac, J. (2010). Oral health and frailty in the medieval English cemetery of St Mary Graces. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 142(3):341-354.
Esclassan, R., Grimoud, A., Ruas, M., Donat, R., Sevin, A., Astie, F., Lucas, S., & Crubezy, E. (2009). Dental caries, tooth wear and diet in an adult medieval (12th–14th century) population from Mediterranean France. Archives of Oral Biology 54(3):287-297.
Irfan, U.M., Dawson, D.V., & Bissada, N.F. (2001). Epidemiology of periodontal disease: a review and clinical perspectives. Journal of International Academy of Peridontology 3(1):14-21.
Jouanna, J. (2012). The Legacy of the Hippocratic Treatise The Nature of Man: The theory of the four Humours. In: van der Eijk, P., (Ed.), Greek Medicine from Hippocrates to Galen (pp. 335-359). Leiden, Neatherlands:Brill.
Kerr, N. (1990). The prevalence and pattern of distribution of root caries in a Scottish medieval population. Journal of Dental Research 69(3):857-860.
Kerr, N., Bruce, M., & Cross, J. (1988). Caries experience in the permanent dentition of late mediaeval Scots (1300–1600 AD). Archives of Oral Biology 33(3):143-148.
King, H. (2013). Female Fluids in the Hippocratic Corpus: How Solid was the Humoral Body? In: Horden, P., & Hsu, E. (Eds.), Humoral Medicines in Practice (pp. 25-52). New York, NY: Berghahn Books.
Lingström, P., & Borrman, H. (1999). Distribution of dental caries in an early 17th century Swedish population with special reference to diet. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 9(6):395-403.
Lopez, B., Pardiñas, A., Garcia-Vazquez, E., & Dopico, E. (2012). Socio-cultural factors in dental diseases in the Medieval and early Modern Age of northern Spain. Homo: Internationale Zeitschrift fur die vergleichende Forschung am Menschen 63(1):21-42.
Meinl, A., Rottensteiner, G., Huber, C., Tangl, S., Watzak, G., & Watzek, G. (2010). Caries frequency and distribution in an early medieval Avar population from Austria. Oral Diseases 16(1):108-116.
Molnár, Z., Gellény, K., Margóczi, K., & Biró, M. (2015). Landscape ethnoecological knowledge base and management of ecosystem services in a Székely-Hungarian pre-capitalistic village system (Transylvania, Romania). Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 11(3):1-22. http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/11/1/3
Müller, A., & Hussein, K. (2017). Meta-analysis of teeth from European populations before and after the 18th century reveals a shift towards increased prevalence of caries and tooth loss. Archives of Oral Biology 73:7-15.
Novak, M. (2015). Dental health and diet in early medieval Ireland. Archives of Oral Biology 60(9):1299-1309.
Novak, M., Martin?i?, O., Strinovi?, D., & Šlaus, M. (2012). Skeletal and dental indicators of health in the late mediaeval (12–15th century) population from Nin, southern Croatia. HOMO-Journal of Comparative Human Biology 63(6):435-450.
Nyárádi, Z. (2013). A Fenyédi Csonkatemplom régészeti feltárása. Paper presented at the Haáz Rezs? Museum. Székelyudvarhely, Romania.
Nyárádi, Z. (2015). Report De Cercetare Arheologic? Preventiv?. V?leni-„Papdomb” Biserica medieval. Campania 2015. Muzeu Haás Rezs? Museum.
Pelling, M. (1998). The Common Lot: Sickness, Medical Occupations and the Urban Poor in Early Modern England. London: Routledge.
Pilloud, M.A., & Fancher, J.P. (2018, April). Outlining a Definition of Oral Health within the Study of Human Skeletal Remains. Paper presented at the 87th annual meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Austin, TX.
Reitsema, L.R., & McIlvaine, B.A. (2014). Reconciling “Stress” and “Health” in Physical Anthropology: What can Bioarchaeologists Learn From the Other Subdisciplines?. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 155:181-185.
Šlaus, M. (2008). Osteological and dental markers of health in the transition from the Late Antique to the Early Medieval period in Croatia. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 136(4):455-469.
Šlaus, M., Bedi?, Ž., Šikanji?, P.R., Vodanovi?, M., & Kuni?, A.D. (2010). Dental health at the transition from the Late Antique to the early Medieval period on Croatia's eastern Adriatic coast. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 21(5):577-590.
Šlaus, M., Pe?ina-Hrn?evi?, A., & Jakovljevi?, G. (1997). Dental disease in the late medieval population from Nova Ra?a, Croatia. Collegium Antropologicum 21(2):561-572.
Sreji?, M.D. (2001). Dental paleopathology in a Serbian medieval population. Anthropologischer Anzeiger 59(2):113-122.
Stránská, P., Velemínský, P., & Polá?ek, L. (2015). The prevalence and distribution of dental caries in four early medieval non-adult populations of different socioeconomic status from Central Europe. Archives of Oral Biology 60(1):62-76.
Varrela, T.M. (1991). Prevalence and distribution of dental caries in a late medieval population in Finland. Archives of Oral Biology 36(8):553-559.
Vodanovi?, M., Hrvoje, B., Mario, Š., & Željko, D. (2005). The frequency and distribution of caries in the mediaeval population of Bijelo Brdo in Croatia (10th–11th century). Archives of Oral Biology 50(7):669-680.
Watt, M.E., Lunt, D.A., & Gilmour, W.H. (1997). Caries prevalence in the permanent dentition of a mediaeval population from the south-west of Scotland. Archives of Oral Biology 42(9):601-620.
World Health Organizaton. (1948, April 7). Preamble to the Constitution of WHO as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19 June - 22 July 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States. Official Records of WHO 2:100. https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/frequently-asked-questions
Zejdlik, K. (2015). Archaeotek Summer Field Season 2015: Medieval Funerary Excavations at Papdomb, Patakfalva. On file with ArchaeoTek Canada, LLC.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.