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Biological variation, population aggregation, and social differentiation: an examination of dental markers of developmental stress at Neolithic Çatalhöyük

Betz, Barbara J
http://orcid.org/0009-0002-3685-4326
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu170438642388325

Abstract Details

2024, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Anthropology.
Across three articles, this dissertation analyzes patterns of dental defect formation and childhood physiological stress within the population of Neolithic Çatalhöyük (ca. 7100-5950 BCE), in order to contribute to a better understanding of biological, temporal, and social variation within this important early “megasite” community. Article one addresses biological questions with important methodological implications regarding the impact of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) defects on inter- and intra-population variability in relationships between incremental enamel microstructures. Relationships between perikymata (PK) periodicity and distribution were tested from high-definition epoxy replicas and histological thin-sections of unworn mandibular canines (n = 15) with high LEH prevalence from Çatalhöyük. Findings re-affirm the existence of significant inter-population variability and suggest that high LEH prevalence likely increases PK distribution variability and weakens relationships with periodicity. PK distribution-based methods may nevertheless help narrow likely periodicity ranges and improve microstructure-based chronological age estimation accuracy even in highly LEH-impacted samples. To better understand relationships between population aggregation and physiological stress in early human settlements, Article two tests whether LEH prevalence or timing change significantly over time alongside population levels at Neolithic Çatalhöyük. LEH defect frequency scores (n = 109), defect-per-individual (DPI, n = 44), and defect initiation age (DIA, n = 44) were collected from epoxy canine replicas. LEH measures did not differ significantly by sex or age-at-death, nor did they significantly change over time in parallel with population size. Developmental stress episodes were very common (DPI: all defects M = 11, pronounced defects M = 6; DIA: all defect M = 3.9 years, pronounced defects M = 4.0 years), with 100% of observable individuals experiencing at least one defect and 95% experiencing two or more. The ubiquity and high frequency of LEH defects throughout all time periods suggests population aggregation levels were not the primary determinant of developmental stress loads. Instead, consistently high LEH risks were likely driven by factors such as (a) pathogen loads associated with persistent sanitation and air quality issues, and (b) possible rising malnutrition risks related to increasing food resource scarcity in later periods. Article three provides insight into the social organization at Neolithic Çatalhöyük by using LEH prevalence measures (defect frequency scores, n = 109; DPI, n = 44) to test whether systemic developmental stress loads differed significantly across several burial location categories. Burial location categories and attributes evaluated include Summit Area (North or South), House Type (Multiple Burial House or Other; History House or Other) and a quantified measure of house elaboration (EI). No significant associations were found between LEH measures and any burial location variable. All four starting hypotheses regarding possible associations between privileged social standing since childhood and burial in these locations are rejected. Findings suggest risks of experiencing developmental stress were similarly high throughout the community and any existing forms of social differentiation did not lead to long-term systemic differences in resource access or developmental stress risks according to summit area- or household-level social groupings. This is consistent with previous suggestions of a complex, but predominantly egalitarian social system at Çatalhöyük.
Clark Spencer Larsen (Advisor)
Debbie Guatelli-Steinberg (Advisor)
Mark Hubbe (Committee Member)
339 p.
Ancient Civilizations; Archaeology; Histology; Human Remains; Near Eastern Studies; Physical Anthropology
Dental Anthropology; Bioarchaeology; Neolithic Near East; Çatalhöyük; Turkey; linear enamel hypoplasia; physiological stress; developmental stress; dental development; perikymata; tooth enamel microstructure; paleopathology; population density; social inequality

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Citations

  • Betz, B. J. (2024). Biological variation, population aggregation, and social differentiation: an examination of dental markers of developmental stress at Neolithic Çatalhöyük [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu170438642388325

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Betz, Barbara. Biological variation, population aggregation, and social differentiation: an examination of dental markers of developmental stress at Neolithic Çatalhöyük. 2024. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu170438642388325.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Betz, Barbara. "Biological variation, population aggregation, and social differentiation: an examination of dental markers of developmental stress at Neolithic Çatalhöyük." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2024. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu170438642388325

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu170438642388325
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