Dataset of Antemortem Tooth Loss and Carious Lesions at Deir el-Medina

Creator(s): Anne Austin

Year: 2020

Summary

These data are from observations on antemortem tooth loss and the presence of carious lesions from the site of Deir el-Medina, Egypt. The data were collected by Anne Austin and Mélie Louys as part of the mission of the Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale at the site during the 2012-14 and 2019-20 field seasons. These data were derived from human remains found in Theban Tombs 6, 217, 290, and 298. They are estimated to date from 1550-945 BCE. These data include macroscopic observations from 32 mandibles and 44 maxillae consisting of 485 observable teeth and 1,052 observable tooth sockets. Any mandibles or maxillae with deciduous dentition present or unerupted permanent dentition are excluded.

Estimations of sex are included for each element. Sex estimation is based on cranial and pelvic morphology (Buikstra and Ubelaker, 1994; Walker, 2005). These estimations include the following categories: Unknown, Female – Definitely, Female – Possibly, Ambiguous, Male – Possibly, and Male – Definitely. Given the degree of commingling, however, sex estimates were not always feasible. Isolated mandibles are not assigned sex estimations as the mental eminence alone is not consistently reliable for sex estimation (Lewis and Garvin, 2016).

Estimations of age are also provided. Age estimation is based on observations of cranial suture closure (Buikstra and Ubelaker, 1994), the pubic symphysis (Brooks and Suchey, 1990; Todd, 1921a, 1921b), epiphyseal fusion (Scheuer and Black, 2004), and the auricular surface (Buckberry and Chamberlain, 2002) when observable. These estimates are then categorized as unknown, under 20 years old, 20-35 years old, 36-50 years old, and over 50 years old. As mandibles were often found with no articulating crania, many do not have an age and/or sex estimation.

All mandibles and maxillae were observed for antemortem tooth loss (AMTL) and the presence of carious lesions. For each element, the number of teeth or tooth sockets showing the absence or presence of AMTL is listed. Tooth sockets were noted as having the presence of AMTL if they showed evidence of partial or full healing. The number of teeth with carious lesions absent or present are also provided for each element. Carious lesions were marked as present only if “a stained, irregular walled cavity is evident from visual inspection” (Steckel et al., 2019, p. 406). All identifications were made without the aid of a microscope or radiographs. This definition excludes precavitated carious lesions (i.e., any detected through discoloration of enamel alone) as well as early pit and fissure caries which can be difficult to distinguish due to morphological variation in molar cusps.

Cite this Record

Dataset of Antemortem Tooth Loss and Carious Lesions at Deir el-Medina. Anne Austin. 2020 ( tDAR id: 468830) ; doi:10.48512/XCV8468830

Data Set Structure

Measurement Column
Count Column
Coded Column
Filename Column
Integration Column (has Ontology)

Table Information: AUSTIN_DDH_SupplementaryData

Column Name Data Type Type Category Coding Sheet Ontology Search
Idnumber Element ID number consisting of a three-digit code for the tomb location, two-digit code for year of observation, and 3-digit sequential number for order of observation. For example, 298.20.001 would be the first element observed in 2020 in Theban Tomb 298.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Lookup : ID none none true
Element Indication of whether the element is a maxilla or mandible.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Human Skeletal : Element none none true
Tomb Theban Tomb number.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Site none none true
Sex Estimate Sex estimation is based on cranial and pelvic morphology (Buikstra and Ubelaker, 1994; Walker, 2005). These estimations include the following categories: Unknown, Female – Definitely, Female – Possibly, Ambiguous, Male – Possibly, and Male – Definitely. Given the degree of commingling, however, sex estimates were not always feasible. Isolated mandibles are not assigned sex estimations as the mental eminence alone is not consistently reliable for sex estimation (Lewis and Garvin, 2016).
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Human Skeletal : Sex none none true
Age Estimate Age estimation is based on observations of cranial suture closure (Buikstra and Ubelaker, 1994), the pubic symphysis (Brooks and Suchey, 1990; Todd, 1921a, 1921b), epiphyseal fusion (Scheuer and Black, 2004), and the auricular surface (Buckberry and Chamberlain, 2002) when observable. These estimates are then categorized as unknown, under 20 years old, 20-35 years old, 36-50 years old, and over 50 years old. As mandibles were often found with no articulating crania, many do not have an age and/or sex estimation.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Human Skeletal : Age none none true
Carious Lesions Present The number of teeth per element with evidence of carious lesions. Carious lesions were marked as present only if “a stained, irregular walled cavity is evident from visual inspection” (Steckel et al., 2019, p. 406). All identifications were made without the aid of a microscope or radiographs. This definition excludes precavitated carious lesions (i.e., any detected through discoloration of enamel alone) as well as early pit and fissure caries which can be difficult to distinguish due to morphological variation in molar cusps.
BIGINT  Count Human Dental : Dental Pathologies none none true
Carious Lesions Absent The number of teeth per element without evidence of carious lesions. Carious lesions were marked as present only if “a stained, irregular walled cavity is evident from visual inspection” (Steckel et al., 2019, p. 406). All identifications were made without the aid of a microscope or radiographs. This definition excludes precavitated carious lesions (i.e., any detected through discoloration of enamel alone) as well as early pit and fissure caries which can be difficult to distinguish due to morphological variation in molar cusps.
BIGINT  Count Human Dental : Dental Pathologies none none true
AMTL Present The number of observable tooth sockets for each element with evidence of a partially or fulled healed tooth socket.
BIGINT  Count Human Dental : Dental Pathologies none none true
AMTL Absent The number of observable tooth sockets for each element without evidence of a partially or fulled healed tooth socket.
BIGINT  Count Human Dental : Dental Pathologies none none true

Keywords

Material
Human Remains

Investigation Types
Bioarchaeological Research

Geographic Keywords
Deir el-Medina, Egypt

Temporal Keywords
New Kingdom • Third Intermediate Period

Temporal Coverage

None: 1550 to 945 (BCE)

Spatial Coverage

min long: 32.559; min lat: 25.695 ; max long: 32.599; max lat: 25.72 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Anne Austin

File Information

  Name Size Creation Date Date Uploaded Access
AUSTIN_DDH_SupplementaryData.csv 4.75kb Feb 1, 2020 May 11, 2022 11:46:32 AM Public
Data were collected during fieldwork in the 2012-14 and 2019-2020 field seasons at Deir el-Medina using OsteoSurvey, a series of forms developed for use with Open Data Kit (ODK) for bioarchaeological data collection on commingled human remains. The raw data were then summarized by counting the total observable teeth or tooth sockets with the absence or presence of AMTL and carious lesions.
  • Translated version AUSTIN_DDH_SupplementaryData_translated.xlsx (7.06kb)
    Data column(s) in this dataset have been associated with coding sheet(s) and translated: