Kovács I. (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 78. (Budapest 1986)

Pap, I.: Oral pathology and social stratification in the Hungarian Middle Ages

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 78. Budapest, 1986 p. 339-345. Oral pathology and social stratification in the Hungarian Middle Ages* by I. PAP, Budapest Abstract — Intra-vitam loss of tooth, caries and diseases resulting from caries are analysed in some Medieval (10-13th centuries) Hungarian samples. Correlations of diet, hygienic and social status are presented. Consumption of protein, carbohydrates, as well as the incidence of diseases are reflected by the odontological conditions. With 4 tables. The first palaeodontological examinations of material from the Middle Ages in Hungary were carried out by LENHOSSÉK (1917). In 1952 BRUSZT published the results of an analysis of 35 various sites. HUSZÁR & SCHRANZ (1952) provided information on the odontological conditions found in Transdanubian cemeteries. TÓTH (1966) analysed five Arpadian-period series from the south-eastern part of the Great Plain. FRAYER (1984) was the first to examine the oral pathological differences of two socially stratified medieval cemeteries (both from Zala vár, Transdanubia) (Table 1). Material and method The analysis was carried out on the material of two sites excavated in the north-eastern part of Hungary. The skeletal material is deposited in the Department of Anthropology, Hungarian Natural History Museum. The cemetery of Tiszafüred (Nagykenderföldek — Large Hamp fields) originates from the 10th century. In all 748 teeth of 32 skulls were suitable for analysis. The cemetery of Szabolcs (Petőfi utca — Petőfi street) was used for a considerable period, burials took place there during the 10-12th centuries. Altogether 976 teeth of 43 individuals were examinable (Table 1). The scope of the analysis was restricted to grown-ups only. I utilized the previously set data produced by the general anthropological processing (PAP 1981-1982, T. TÓTH in process) to determine sex and age. Age groups were classified according to MARTIN'S categories (1928). I calculated the archaeological dental index (ADI) and age index from the ones proposed by BRINCH & MÖLLER-CHRISTENSEN (1949). As it is known, ADI gives the percentage of post mortem lost teeth and teeth present at the time of death. ADI's average values are 83.23 for the series of Tiszafüred and 83.00 for the series of Szabolcs. Oral pathologies were assessed by visual inspection under natural sunlight with additional artificial fight. RUDNEY, KATZ & BRAND (1983) stated in their work on the reliability of methods for caries diagnosis that "the visual method of scoring seems best able to satisfy the need for replicable and comparable caries data from skeletal populations". The caries survey was carried out with a long, pointed probe and an excavator. Only those cases were classified as carious lesions in which absence of dental material was present. In the course of the examination I surveyed and recorded the upper and lower teeth separately. However I did not take this fact into consideration in this present evaluation. Wisdom-teeth were included in the survey as well as in the evaluation. As far as teeth lost intra vitam are concerned, I took into account only those which were presumably lost as a consequence of caries. I omitted from the account the missing teeth which were probably lost because of trauma or paradontosis — as it can be deduced from the condition of the remaining teeth. The periapical cavities caused by the abscessus and dental cystae as a result of dental and dental socket diseases were included as well. I analysed the data for the total sample, regardless of sexual differences. TÓTH (1970) did not find any "appriciable differences in caries susceptibility between males and females" in the Arpadian period. *This paper was presented at the conference of the International Demokritos Foundation, held on 4th of September, 1985, in Xanthi (Greece).