Brief communication: physiological stress in the Florida Archaic-enamel hypoplasia and patterns of developmental insult in early North American hunter-gatherers

Abstract

We examined the prevalence and developmental timing of linear enamel hypoplasias (LEHs) in an early Archaic Floridian population from Windover (8,120-6,980 (14)C years B.P. uncorrected). Using digital images, mandibular and maxillary canines were analyzed for defect prevalence and timing of insults. Although overall prevalence was very weakly correlated with earlier defect timing, there were significant differences in defect prevalence that varied by sex and tooth type. The mean LEH count in male mandibular canines was far higher than in male maxillary canines or in female mandibular or maxillary canines. We examined defect timing as a possible predictor of the sex differences in LEH prevalence. There were no significant sex differences in the developmental timing of the earliest defects in either tooth class. Developmental timing is not responsible for the sex differences seen in defect prevalence in mandibular canines.