School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatian Dental Society - Croatian Medical Association
Abstract
Kosti i zubi iznimno su vrijedan i koristan izvor informacija u bioarheološkim istraživanjima, jer godinama mogu ostati sačuvani u nepromijenjenom obliku. Morfološke osobitosti zuba često su pomogle da se objasne određeni povijesni problemi koji se nalaze u središtu zanimanja antropoloških istraživanja. Svrha rada: U istraživanju smo željeli usporediti morfološke osobitosti kruna humanih kutnjaka u srednjovjekovnoj i suvremenoj hrvatskoj populaciji. Materijali i metode: Za analizu su bila odabrana 252 humana kutnjaka arheološkog (172) i recentnog (80) podrijetla. Kod
gornjih kutnjaka određivala se frekvencija metakonusa, hipokonusa, metakonulusa, parastila i Carabellijeva svojstva. Na donjima je zabilježena frekvencija pojavljivanja prednje jamice, središnjeg trokutastog grebena, fisurnog crteža, zakrivljenog nabora, broja kvržica na kutnjacima, protostilida, distalnog trokutastog grebena te pete, šeste i sedme kvržice. Stupanj izraženosti svakog morfološkog obilježja bio je razvrstan prema sustavu ASUDAS (Dentalni antropološki sustav Državnoga sveučilišta Arizone). Analizom i usporedbom zuba arheološkog i suvremenog podrijetla ustanovljene su velike statističke razlike. Rezultati: Na gornjim kutnjacima uočene su razlike u frekvenciji pojavljivanja hipokonusa i metakonulusa, a na donjima je zapažena razlika u frekvenciji pojavljivanja prednje jamice i pete kvržice. Zaključak: Uočene razlike nije moguće objasniti samo istrošenošću zuba, jer su se u istraživanju stručnjaci koristili zubima s niskim stupnjem abrazije. Dodatna objašnjenja treba potražiti među dostupnim povijesnim i arheološkim podacima,
jer su se u srednjovjekovnom razdoblju vodili mnogobrojni ratovi, pa su česte bile i migracije stanovništva.Bones and teeth represent an exceptionally valuable and useful source of information for bioarchaeological research, since they may remain unaltered for a long period of time. The morphological characteristics of teeth are often used to explain certain historical problems which are the focus of interest in anthropological research. Purpose: the aim of this study was to compare morphological particularities of human molar crown traits in Croatian medieval and contemporary populations. Materials and methods: This research was conducted on 252 human molars, both of archeological (172) and of recent (80) origin. Upper molars were studied to determine the frequency of occurrence of: metaconus, hypoconus, metaconulus, parastyle and Carabelli’s trait. Lower molars were studied to register the frequency of occurrence of: anterior fovea, mid trigonid crest, groove pattern, deflecting wrinkle, molar cusp number, protostylid, distal accessory ridge, cusp 5, cusp 6 and cusp 7. Each morphological feature’s degree of expression was classified according to Arizona State University Dental Anthropological System. Statistically significant differences were established through analysis and comparison of these teeth of archeological and recent origin. Results: on the upper molars there were differences in the frequency of the occurrence of the hypoconus and metaconulus. On the lower molars there were differences in the frequency of the occurrence of the, anterior fovea and 5th cusp. Conclusion: these differences can’t be simply explained by wear, since the teeth selected for research all displayed a low degree of abrasion. Additional explanation should be sought among available historical and archeological data, since the medieval period was marked by numerous wars and population migration
