Relations between human diet and enamel thickness through variation between pre-medieval samples

Christopher Aris; Olga Nechyparenka

Relations between human diet and enamel thickness through variation between pre-medieval samples

Abstract

Objectives The pre-medieval period is associated with high inter-population variation in diet and food consumption, as well as changes in related enamel physiology, primarily enamel thickness. This project aims to examine the impact of diet on enamel thickness within this temporal transect, with specific reference to the Fish Event Horizon Theory. Methods Upper and lower permanent teeth (n=100), specifically incisors (n=39), canines (n=30), and molars (n=31) from two pre-medieval populations were analysed using histological methods and light microscopy. One population was dated to the early pre-medieval period (500-600AD), and one to the later period (800-1200AD). Relative enamel thickness, and linear measurements of cuspal and lateral thickness were collected, and published isotopic data of these populations was drawn from to assess diet. Mann-Whitney U statistical analyses were used to identify inter-population variations. Results The early pre-medieval population possessed significantly larger molar relative enamel thickness (p=0.01) and thinner lateral thickness (p=0.02). No significant variation was found in any canine or incisor thickness measure, or cuspal thickness of any tooth type. These variations in molar thickness allude to reduction in the dietary abrasiveness over time during the pre-medieval period, and an increase in the relative hardness of diet. Conclusions Significant variations in enamel thickness exists between human populations even within narrow temporal transects. Here these variations correlate with contextual dietary information and thereby support existing theories that enamel thickness can both respond to changes in diet within a species, and that this can occur over a short period of time due to both environmental, genetic, and migratory influences – i.e. it is not stable with the human species. Future research should continue this investigation through gathering dietary isotope data from teeth after thickness analysis through micro-CT scanning and/or before equivalent histological analysis.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Keele University

Ethical Statement

The research presented here followed all relevant ethical guidelines outlined by the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology and it was given ethical approval by the School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, ethics committee.

Thanks

Thanks go to Trust for Thanet Archaeology and the Universities of Kent and Sheffield for granting permission to sample the teeth analysed. Further thanks go to Ges Moody and Elizabeth Craig-Atkins for their invaluable assistance in accessing the collections in their care. Further thanks go to Annie Robertson and Hazel Moxham for their invaluable support in this research.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Odontology

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Christopher Aris ^*
United Kingdom

Olga Nechyparenka This is me
United Kingdom

Publication Date

June 26, 2026

Submission Date

February 2, 2026

Acceptance Date

May 29, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 16 Number: 1

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA26JT34CA

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Aris, C., & Nechyparenka, O. (2026). Relations between human diet and enamel thickness through variation between pre-medieval samples. Eurasian Journal of Anthropology, 16(1), 10-23. https://izlik.org/JA26JT34CA

AMA

1.Aris C, Nechyparenka O. Relations between human diet and enamel thickness through variation between pre-medieval samples. Euras J Anthropol. 2026;16(1):10-23. https://izlik.org/JA26JT34CA

Chicago

Aris, Christopher, and Olga Nechyparenka. 2026. “Relations Between Human Diet and Enamel Thickness through Variation Between Pre-Medieval Samples”. Eurasian Journal of Anthropology 16 (1): 10-23. https://izlik.org/JA26JT34CA.

EndNote

Aris C, Nechyparenka O (June 1, 2026) Relations between human diet and enamel thickness through variation between pre-medieval samples. Eurasian Journal of Anthropology 16 1 10–23.

IEEE

[1]C. Aris and O. Nechyparenka, “Relations between human diet and enamel thickness through variation between pre-medieval samples”, Euras J Anthropol, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 10–23, June 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA26JT34CA

ISNAD

Aris, Christopher - Nechyparenka, Olga. “Relations Between Human Diet and Enamel Thickness through Variation Between Pre-Medieval Samples”. Eurasian Journal of Anthropology 16/1 (June 1, 2026): 10-23. https://izlik.org/JA26JT34CA.

JAMA

1.Aris C, Nechyparenka O. Relations between human diet and enamel thickness through variation between pre-medieval samples. Euras J Anthropol. 2026;16:10–23.

MLA

Aris, Christopher, and Olga Nechyparenka. “Relations Between Human Diet and Enamel Thickness through Variation Between Pre-Medieval Samples”. Eurasian Journal of Anthropology, vol. 16, no. 1, June 2026, pp. 10-23, https://izlik.org/JA26JT34CA.

Vancouver

1.Christopher Aris, Olga Nechyparenka. Relations between human diet and enamel thickness through variation between pre-medieval samples. Euras J Anthropol [Internet]. 2026 Jun. 1;16(1):10-23. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA26JT34CA