DENTAL HEALTH AND DIET IN THE MIDDLE AND LATE NEOLITHIC (4900 –3400 BC): A STUDY OF SELECTED MICROREGIONS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

The aim of the paper is to evaluate selected dental characteristics during the Middle and Late Neolithic in the area of today's Czech Republic and extending into Lower Austria. Dental caries, antemortem tooth loss, dental wear and periodontal disease provided us with valuable information about dental health. With the help of dental microwear analysis, we were able to evaluate complementary evidence to reconstruct dietary patterns and gain insights into diet evolution of established farmers and herders. The analysed sample was divided into two newly proposed long chronological phases which are derived from frequency occurrence of C14 data as a population proxy: Neolithic В (4900-4000 ВС) and Neolithic C (3800-3400 BC). The obtained data were compared with LBK (Neolithic A) and Final Neolithic samples to provide the actual picture of dental characteristics in Neolithic. As observed, the incidence of tooth decay tended to decrease during the Neolithic period in the studied area, while the ratio of the meat component in the diet tended to increase. However, the changes during the post-LBKperiod did not have a uniform character, as it might seem at first glance; there was high variability in the studied area caused not only by socio-economic changes in society, but these changes seem to reflect the approach to the food consumed. This variability was probably influenced by the chronological and geographical context as well.