DENTAL HEALTH AND DIET OF THE PEOPLE OF WHITCHER’S CAVE, EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA

A recent revision of the Whitcher’s Cave skeletal assemblage (~5000 BP to ~1800 BP) yielded a minimum number of 32 individuals. To explore the dental pathology, we assessed the permanent dentition of all the individuals with preserved cranial elements. All dentition sets were analysed for the presence or absence of enamel hypoplasia, caries, abscesses and ante-mortem tooth loss. The incidences of these conditions were compared with reported data from several other archaeological sites and ethnographic studies, representing San hunter-gatherers and more recent pastoralist and agricultural groups. Our results show that the frequency of enamel hypoplasia is low (two of 16 individuals), comparable to other hunter-gatherer groups and much lower compared to more recent groups. Caries levels are low (caries frequency 20.0%; n = 25, 183 teeth), but abscessing (33.3%; n = 30) and ante-mortem tooth loss (AMTL intensity 23.3%; n = 30) are more common. This is ascribed to the generally advanced dental wear observed in many individuals which may possibly be attributed to the presence of older individuals, and also to the nature of their diet which likely caused pulpal exposure followed by abscessing and tooth loss. Low levels of enamel hypoplasia support the previously reported general good health of children in this group.