Lining up on the M₁: a Tooth Defect as a Bio-indicator for Environment and Husbandry in Ancient Pigs

Abstract

From the analysis of five collections of pig mandibles of Neolithic and medieval date, it is argued that the detailed observation of a common developmental tooth defect, i.e., linear enamel hypoplasia, can shed light on the impact of environmental conditions and husbandry practices on ancient swine herding. It is suggested that degradation of forest environment through the Middle Ages, was responsible for an increase of the frequency of LEH in domestic pigs. Conversely, a supposed late medieval shift in pig husbandry, from forest herding to rearing in (semi-)confinement, could have been the cause of a significant decrease in the occurrence of this tooth defect.