Synopses & Reviews
Teeth, representing a variety of mammals including man, are common finds on archaeological sites and scientific study yields remarkable information both about the animals themselves and about the health, hygiene and diet of ancient communities. In this book, Simon Hillson draws together for the first time a mass of information on dental studies in archaeology and related disciplines, and provides in addition descriptions and specially-designed line-drawings to assist the identification of teeth from 150 different genera. After introducing the necessary anatomical background, the author examines the microscopic structure of teeth, ways in which age at death can be determined and methods for recording tooth variation within species and interpreting this in terms of domestication, evolution and the biology of ancient populations. A final chapter is devoted to the problems posed by dental disease. The detailed identification key, ageing tables, information on laboratory techniques and extensive bibliography that Dr Hillson provides form an important part of the work.
Review
"...will bring readers up to date on the advances in mammalian dental research. This new edition is more than just an update of new technologies and references...Teeth II is a welcome addition to the literature on mammalian dental form. It is written in a manner that will be accessible to students with a limited background, yet still provides important reference materials for established researchers. I bought two copies of the first edition...and the current volume is even better. Would I buy this book? Absolutely!" - The Quarterly Review of Biology, Peter S. Ungar, University of Arkansas
Synopsis
Mammal teeth are common finds on archaeological sites, and scientific study yields remarkable information both about the animals themselves and about the health, hygiens and diet of ancient communities. This book draws together a mass of information on dental studies in archaeology and related disciplines and provides descriptions and specially designed line-drawings to assist the identification of teeth. The identification key, ageing tables, information on laboratory techniques and extensive bibliography form an important part of the book.
Synopsis
An examination of dental studies in archaeology and related disciplines.
Synopsis
Archaeological discoveries of teeth provide remarkable information on humans, animals and the health, hygiene and diet of ancient communities. In this fully revised and updated edition of his seminal text, Simon Hillson draws together a mass of material from archaeology, anthropology and related disciplines to provide a comprehensive manual on the study of teeth. The range of mammals examined has been extended to include descriptions and line drawings for 325 mammal genera from Europe, North Africa, western, central and northeastern Asia, and North America. The book also introduces dental anatomy and the microscopic structure of dental tissues, explores how the age or season of death is estimated and looks at variations in tooth size and shape. With its detailed descriptions of the techniques and equipment used and its provision of tables and charts, this book is essential reading for students of archaeology, zoology and dental science.
Synopsis
Teeth yield remarkable information about animals as well as the health, hygiene and diet of ancient communities. In this fully revised and up-dated edition of his classic text, Simon Hillson draws together a mass of information on dental studies in archaeology and related disciplines. The book's treatment of mammals is extended to include mammals of North America and Asia north of the Himalayas. The form of roots are now detailed with figures showing root socket patterns in different genera. The new edition also includes an appendix on methods. First Edition Hb (1986): 0-521-30405-9 First Edition Pb (1990): 0-521-38671-3
About the Author
Simon Hillson is Professor of Bioarchaeology at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. His previous publications include Teeth (0521304059, 0521545498, 1990), Mammals Bones and Teeth (Institute of Archaeology, 1992), and Dental Anthropology (0521451949, 0521564395, 1996).
Table of Contents
Introduction; 1. Tooth form in mammals; 2. Dental tissues; 3. Teeth and age; 4. Size and shape; 5. Dental disease; Appendix A. The Grant dental attrition age estimation method.