Exploring Roman Health and Social Status in Crete: Dental Evidence from Ierapetra's Graveyards
Disciplines
Biological and Physical Anthropology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
This research project aims to compare dental pathologies between excavations of Roman graves from Ierapetra, Crete in Greece. This study is part of a larger project led by Dr. Susan Kirkpatrick Smith. I compared the data from a newer excavation to previous results from nearby graves. The goal was to see if there was any difference in the rate of dental caries and linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) to determine if there was potentially a difference in economic status or dietary health. Much work has been done on the Minoan civilization in Crete, but little is known about the Roman occupation of the territory besides the major battles and what Roman governor handled the area. The day-to-day life of the Cretan people is unknown, as many common folks throughout history sadly are; this research will create new insights into their lives. This collection was from a rescue excavation of a Roman-era graveyard. All of the teeth in the collection were identified by myself, besides a group that was associated with a singular known individual. After identification, the teeth were rated for wear and the presence of caries or linear enamel hypoplasias. Following this, the data was then compared to the previously studied teeth via the chi-square test to determine if that was a statistical difference between the two populations. Results will allow us to see if variation in grave type might have been a signal of social status.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Geography & Anthropology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Dr. Susan K. Smith
Exploring Roman Health and Social Status in Crete: Dental Evidence from Ierapetra's Graveyards
This research project aims to compare dental pathologies between excavations of Roman graves from Ierapetra, Crete in Greece. This study is part of a larger project led by Dr. Susan Kirkpatrick Smith. I compared the data from a newer excavation to previous results from nearby graves. The goal was to see if there was any difference in the rate of dental caries and linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) to determine if there was potentially a difference in economic status or dietary health. Much work has been done on the Minoan civilization in Crete, but little is known about the Roman occupation of the territory besides the major battles and what Roman governor handled the area. The day-to-day life of the Cretan people is unknown, as many common folks throughout history sadly are; this research will create new insights into their lives. This collection was from a rescue excavation of a Roman-era graveyard. All of the teeth in the collection were identified by myself, besides a group that was associated with a singular known individual. After identification, the teeth were rated for wear and the presence of caries or linear enamel hypoplasias. Following this, the data was then compared to the previously studied teeth via the chi-square test to determine if that was a statistical difference between the two populations. Results will allow us to see if variation in grave type might have been a signal of social status.