Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 95. (Budapest 2003)
Évinger, S.: Paleostomatological investigation of the anthropological findings from the Avar period cemeteries of Toponár and Fészerlak
ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Volume 95 Budapest, 2003 pp . 205-224 . Paleostomatological investigation of the anthropological findings from the Avar period cemeteries of Toponár and Fészerlak S. ÉVINGER Department of Anthropology, Hungarian Natural History Museum H-1082 Budapest, Ludovika tér 2, Hungary. E-mail: evingers@freemail.hu Abstract - Anthropological findings of two cemeteries from the late Avar period (Toponár and Fészerlak, Hungary) were examined from the aspect of dental health in order to find out if there were any differences in the examined paleostomatological characters (and in the way of life or in the way of nutrition) between the two socially different populations. Fészerlak was a resting place for the common people, while Toponár was a burial ground mainly for those who belonged to the higher classes in the Avar society. Only individuals with permanent dentition (70 from Toponár and 96 from Fészerlak) were drawn into the examination. Frequency and progress of carious lesions, number of cystae, abscessi and premortem lost teeth and level of abrasion were registered. Number of incisors and canines with enamel hypoplasia was determined, too. General status of dentition was characterized with several dental indices. The dental status was very poor in both populations. Considerable difference between the two people was in the occurrence of enamel hypoplasia only, which was significantly more frequent in the sample of Fészerlak. With 4 figures and 9 tables. Key words - Physical anthropology, Avar period, enamel hypoplasia, dental pathology, dental indices. INTRODUCTION Development of the forming teeth and the "fate" of the functioning teeth depend significantly on nutrition and on the way of life. We can use this correlation to get information about nutritional habits, culture and some of diseases of historical people with the examination of their teeth. For example, enamel hypoplasias are a key tool in the study of health in prehistory, because they record nutritional stresses and diseases during the period of tooth formation. People with diverse cultures, diverse social stratifications or with different ways of life may have different dental status primarily because of their variant nutritional habits. FRAYER (1984) found differences in the dental health between two socially stratified medieval cemeteries from Zalavár. PAP (1986) compared the dental status of the people from the cemetery of Tiszafüred (Hungarian Conquest Period) and the people from the cemetery of Szabolcs (Petőfi utca - Petőfi Street,
