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Oral Infections in Ancient Human Skulls in 2000 BC/Iron Age, Iran
Dariush D Farhud1,2,3, Mahsa Azari2,3,4, Mehdi Rahbar5
1School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Iranian Journal of Public Health
|June 24, 2024
Summary
Ancient oral infections, including abscesses, were prevalent in 4000-year-old Iranian populations. Evidence from the Sagezabad cemetery reveals the impact of these infectious diseases on human skeletal remains.
Area of Science:
- Paleopathology
- Archaeology
- Anthropology
Background:
- Oral infections, such as gum cysts and abscesses, have a long history in humans, potentially leading to severe health consequences.
- These conditions can manifest as hard lumps in gums, tooth displacement, and jawbone cavities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate ancient oral infections in human remains from the Sagezabad ancient cemetery in Qazvin Province, Iran.
- To analyze skeletal evidence of infectious diseases in a 4000-year-old population.
Main Methods:
- Utilized international atlases for detailed information on ancient oral infections.
- Examined bone remains excavated in 2019 from the Ghara Tappe area, dating to the Iron Age (2nd and 3rd periods) of the Medes Kingdom.
Main Results:
- Identified signs of infectious diseases, specifically abscesses, on human skeletal remains from the Sagezabad cemetery.
- Documented evidence of oral infections within a large ancient population sample.
Conclusions:
- Oral infections were present in Iran as early as 2000 BC.
- Such infections were common in ancient populations, including the Paleolithic Homo Heidelbergensis.
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