Subsistence and Behavioral Variation in the Neolithic Meuse Basin (BE): Insights From Dental Collections

Area of Science:

• Paleoanthropology
• Archaeology
• Dental Anthropology

Background:

• Neolithic period in Belgium's Meuse basin (4th-3rd millennia BCE).
• Collective cave burials as sources of population data.
• Limited understanding of subsistence and diversity among these groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate Neolithic subsistence strategies.
• Analyze population diversity and cultural differences.
• Examine lifeways through dental anthropology.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 1916 permanent teeth from four cave sites.
• Examination of oral conditions: caries, calculus, wear, trauma, chipping.
• Dental anthropology approach to infer diet and behavior.

Main Results:

• Dental indicators align with agricultural subsistence and terrestrial diets.
• Significant inter-site variability in diet, health, and behavior indicators.
• Differences observed in caries, calculus, chipping, and wear patterns.

Conclusions:

• Findings support agricultural subsistence in the region.
• Evidence for distinct group differentiation and cultural practices.
• Highlights significant inter-site variations in Neolithic populations.