Dental Wear Patterns and Subsistence Activities in Early Nomadic Pastoralist Communities of the Central Asian Steppes

Dental Wear Patterns and Subsistence Activities in Early Nomadic Pastoralist Communities of the Central Asian Steppes

M.L. Machicek and A.V. Zubova.

Dental wear patterns were studied in fi ve ancient groups of Siberia and Mongolia. The results indicate considerable variation of subsistence activities among populations practicing different forms of pastoralism. In all groups, dental wear patterns in various classes of teeth appear to be more related to subsistence activities than to age at death.

Keywords: Dental wear, pastoralism, Xiongnu, Pazyryk culture, Kamen culture.