Population density and developmental stress in the Neolithic: A diachronic study of dental fluctuating asymmetry at Çatalhöyük (Turkey, 7,100-5,950 BC).
Am J Phys Anthropol
; 167(4): 737-749, 2018 12.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30187909
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
The transition from foraging to farming is usually associated with unprecedented population densities coupled with an increase in fertility and population growth. However, little is known about the biological effects of such demographic changes during the Neolithic. In the present work, we test the relationship between diachronic changes in population size, relative exposure to developmental stressors, and patterns of dental fluctuating asymmetry in the Neolithic population of Çatalhöyük (Turkey, 7,100-5,950 cal BC). MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
We calculate fluctuating asymmetry of mesio-distal and bucco-lingual diameters of upper and lower permanent canines and first and second molars on a large (N = 259) sample representing adults of both sexes and various age classes.RESULTS:
Results show only a moderate decrease of fluctuating asymmetry during the late phase of occupation of the site, possibly linked to a decrease in population density, and no differences in asymmetry between sexes.DISCUSSION:
Though preliminary, our data reflect the presence of developmental stressors throughout the occupation of the site, albeit with a slight improvement in living conditions during the latest periods of occupation. At the same time, these data confirm the key role of diet as buffer against the detrimental effects of fluctuating demographic pressures on the biology of prehistoric human populations.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Densidade Demográfica
/
Dente Canino
/
Dente Molar
Limite:
Adolescent
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Adult
/
Child
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Child, preschool
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Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
País/Região como assunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2018
Tipo de documento:
Article