ABSTRACT
For several reasons, dental remains recovered from archaeological contexts represent an important source of information about past peoples. First, owing to their extreme hardness and density, teeth of all body tissues are the least susceptible to postdepositional decay. Thus, even in archaeological settings where bones are poorly preserved, teeth are often well represented. Second, unlike skeletal tissues, teeth do not remodel once they have formed. And, except under circumstances involving pathological processes (e.g. dental caries), excessive wear, or breakage, their form does not change. Therefore, teeth found in archaeological sites are permanent records of an individual’s life history. Third, the size, number, and morphology of teeth are highly genetically canalized, thereby minimizing the effects of environment on their mature form. Finally, during the life of the individual, teeth are the only hard tissue of the body that comes into direct contact with the environment. This is especially important in interpreting the impact of food consistency, texture, and composition on occlusal and other teeth surfaces.
