Dental Disease in the Nile Valley during the New Kingdom

摘要

This study examines evidence for dental disease (caries, abscesses, antemortem tooth lossand severity of dental wear) in Nubian and Egyptian groups living in the Nile Valley during theNew Kingdom. Specific attention is given to individuals buried at the site of Tombos, acemetery in Nubia used during the Egyptian colonial occupation. In addition, three Nubianand two Egyptian samples are included for comparative purposes. While some similarities incondition frequencies between Tombos and the comparative groups are apparent, especiallyin the rates of caries and abscesses, significant differences in antemortem tooth loss andseverity of tooth wear point to variation in these Nile Valley samples. These differences areespecially evident for males. Higher rates of these conditions at Tombos may be attributed tothe socio-political and cultural changes taking place during this time of colonial occupation.Changes in foodways and occupational environments may have resulted in stress, asdemonstrated by these dental conditions experienced by the Tombos people throughoutthis transitional period.