Crypt fenestration enamel defects and early life stress: Contextual explorations of growth and mortality in Colonial Peru

Objectives This study provides a comprehensive analysis of crypt fenestration enamel defects (CFEDs) from the Eten and Mórrope communities, Colonial period (A.D. 1,530–1,750), Lambayeque Valley, Peru. The goal is to help clarify the role of these lesions as reflections of early life environments as well as relationships growth and survival at future ages. Materials and methods CFED absence/presence was recorded in the mandibular canines of 105 individuals and 202 teeth. Defect prevalence was compared between the Eten and Mórrope sites using a proportions test. Femoral growth residuals were compared between CFED present and absent samples. Mortality risk was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Results CFED frequencies at Eten and Mórrope were similar to previous studies. Greater frequencies of CFEDs were found at Eten compared to Mórrope. There was no association between skeletal growth and CFEDs. No differences in mortality were found between CFED present and absent individuals within each site. General survivorship at Eten was significantly greater than Mórrope. However, individuals without CFEDs at Eten had greater survivorship than those with and without CFEDs at Mórrope. Individuals with CFEDs at Eten had greater survivorship than those with CFEDs at Mórrope. These differences begin around 1.7 years. Conclusions CFEDs may be associated with stress experience, but associations with growth and survivorship at later ages is context dependent. CFED prevalence is an ambiguous indicator of stress when used in the absence of mortality data, and even under those circumstances, appears limited by differences in local demography.