Periodic Reporting for period 2 - 3DFOSSILDIET (Tracing the Ontogenetic Evolution of Diet and Behavior in Neandertals and Anatomically Modern Humans in the Franco-Cantabrian Region. An Integrative study of 3D Tooth Wear Patterns)
Reporting period: 2023-02-01 to 2024-01-31
For several years, Homo sapiens, H. neanderthalensis, H. erectus, H. floresiensis, and Denisovans shared the planet. At one point, H. sapiens began to express a complex behavior, and the path in which it developed is now being traced using the innovative techniques of modern archaeology, molecular biology, paleoanthropology, and paleontology. Among all the extinct human species, Neandertals have received a very high interest because they inhabited Eurasia during more than 250,000 years and shared the continent with anatomically modern humans for several thousand years. They also produced complex technological tools, explored a wide variety of food, and developed behavioral complexity. Questions regarding whether the adaptive processes involved were gradual or punctual, or how the cultural evolution interrelates with the biological evolution (if any), and if specific cognitive behavior was a major factor for us to remain the solely human species on Earth, are in hot debate.
One of the proxies used for the study of fossil human behavior consists of the study of dental wear. As teeth are the most resilient elements of the skeleton they record a lifetime of interactions between individuals and their environments (dietary reconstructions) and, for humans, they also record biocultural behaviors associated with the use of teeth as tools or as a “third hand”. This project will implement the use of recently developed virtual methods for the analysis of both micro- and macro- dental wear patterns in both Neandertals and anatomically modern humans.
The project is called 3DFOSSILDIET (Tracing the Ontogenetic Evolution of Diet and Behavior in Neandertals and Anatomically Modern Humans in the Franco-Cantabrian Region. An Integrative study of 3D Tooth Wear Patterns).
Since this project is a MSCA-IF Global Fellowship, the first two years (outgoing phase) were developed at the Ungar Lab at the University of Arkansas (in Fayetteville, AR, USA; with Prof. Peter S. Ungar). The last year will be hosted at the EvoAdapta Group at the University of Cantabria (Spain; with Dr. Ana B. Marín-Arroyo).
The main aim is to compare the growth and development of both human species through their dietary differences and behavioral complexity. Insights will provide clues about social dynamics and our evolutionary processes as a species.
Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA) protocol is being used to understand short-term dietary reconstruction and highlight possible individual deviations from the general pattern. A new approach to dental topographic analysis for macrowear study is being developed and it will be used as a proxy to infer biomechanics of the mastication (diet) and general use of the mouth (behavior) along the Life History of both human species.
The Franco-Cantabrian region has been selected because it contains a continuous record of human occupation from the Middle to recent times with accurately dated sites and well-preserved human remains. Research in the region has focused mostly on the chronological sequence, material culture and subsistence strategies during the replacement of local Neandertals by AMH providing the perfect scenario for contextualization of patterns of behavioral variation to be considered in the project.
This project is important for the society because it helps to understand how these human species behaviorally adapted survived during hard climatic times, and if our social capacities could have played an important role on our success as remaining the sole human species today. The methodology is completely non-destructive and that will allow the conservation of the fossil materials for generations to come.
One of the proxies used for the study of fossil human behavior consists of the study of dental wear. As teeth are the most resilient elements of the skeleton they record a lifetime of interactions between individuals and their environments (dietary reconstructions) and, for humans, they also record biocultural behaviors associated with the use of teeth as tools or as a “third hand”. This project will implement the use of recently developed virtual methods for the analysis of both micro- and macro- dental wear patterns in both Neandertals and anatomically modern humans.
The project is called 3DFOSSILDIET (Tracing the Ontogenetic Evolution of Diet and Behavior in Neandertals and Anatomically Modern Humans in the Franco-Cantabrian Region. An Integrative study of 3D Tooth Wear Patterns).
Since this project is a MSCA-IF Global Fellowship, the first two years (outgoing phase) were developed at the Ungar Lab at the University of Arkansas (in Fayetteville, AR, USA; with Prof. Peter S. Ungar). The last year will be hosted at the EvoAdapta Group at the University of Cantabria (Spain; with Dr. Ana B. Marín-Arroyo).
The main aim is to compare the growth and development of both human species through their dietary differences and behavioral complexity. Insights will provide clues about social dynamics and our evolutionary processes as a species.
Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA) protocol is being used to understand short-term dietary reconstruction and highlight possible individual deviations from the general pattern. A new approach to dental topographic analysis for macrowear study is being developed and it will be used as a proxy to infer biomechanics of the mastication (diet) and general use of the mouth (behavior) along the Life History of both human species.
The Franco-Cantabrian region has been selected because it contains a continuous record of human occupation from the Middle to recent times with accurately dated sites and well-preserved human remains. Research in the region has focused mostly on the chronological sequence, material culture and subsistence strategies during the replacement of local Neandertals by AMH providing the perfect scenario for contextualization of patterns of behavioral variation to be considered in the project.
This project is important for the society because it helps to understand how these human species behaviorally adapted survived during hard climatic times, and if our social capacities could have played an important role on our success as remaining the sole human species today. The methodology is completely non-destructive and that will allow the conservation of the fossil materials for generations to come.
The principal questions addressed in this project were answered:
1) How did adult individuals care for sub-adults? Since behavioral dental wear from sub-adult individuals is similar to that detected in adult individuals, we can predict that young individuals were learning from adults. Same with the diet, the microwear signatures in young individuals indicate a similar diet as adult individuals, indicating a sharing of the resources. That is the situation for both Neandertals and our own species. Result has been published in Estalrrich and Krueger, 2022.
2) How did sub-adults become independent individuals? We found that the evidence supports the acquisition of adult behavior gradually, from around the childhood through adolescence, being indistinguishable the dental wear features from adolescents to those belonging to adult individuals. In both human species. Results have been published in Estalrrich and Marín-Arroyo, 2021.
3) How were relationships expressed within the groups? The adult individuals should have taken care of the youngsters in both human species, as teaching and preparing food takes time. Results from both previous papers indicate this tentative conclusion.
4) Could social patterns reflect our evolutionary success? This question is still not completely resolved, as both human species seem to behave in a similar way. The behavioral traces across the time varies in each specie, for example with our own specie, the behavioral dental is different depending on the period from the Magdalenian period is different from the people from the Cooper Age, as it seems they were using their teeth for different porpoises (Estalrrich, 2023).
Methodologically, this project developed and applied a state of the art 3D surface scanner, usually used in dentistry. With this instrument, we are able to obtain a digital model of isolated teeth or the whole the dentition of fossil specimens and study their morphology and reconstruct their past diet. This approach, together with the updated DMTA, provide helpful insights into the life of the humans from the past, help us to gain more knowledge in their behavior and ultimately understanding the patterns of variation and the evolutionary processes involved into the evolutional history of humans.
This project has completed seven scientific papers (four of them from scientific meetings) and a book chapter. Two more publications will be published soon.
This project has participated in nine international meetings and organized a dedicated symposium "Integrating dental wear" during the 92nd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Biological Anthropologists in April 2023.
Besides, this project has been involved in general public outreach: Women in Science organized by the Ateneo de Santander (2021), "Hoy hablamos de... Dientes del pasado" by Centro de Investigación y Museo Nacional de la Cueva de Altamira (2022), Pint of Science and European Researchers' Night (2023).
1) How did adult individuals care for sub-adults? Since behavioral dental wear from sub-adult individuals is similar to that detected in adult individuals, we can predict that young individuals were learning from adults. Same with the diet, the microwear signatures in young individuals indicate a similar diet as adult individuals, indicating a sharing of the resources. That is the situation for both Neandertals and our own species. Result has been published in Estalrrich and Krueger, 2022.
2) How did sub-adults become independent individuals? We found that the evidence supports the acquisition of adult behavior gradually, from around the childhood through adolescence, being indistinguishable the dental wear features from adolescents to those belonging to adult individuals. In both human species. Results have been published in Estalrrich and Marín-Arroyo, 2021.
3) How were relationships expressed within the groups? The adult individuals should have taken care of the youngsters in both human species, as teaching and preparing food takes time. Results from both previous papers indicate this tentative conclusion.
4) Could social patterns reflect our evolutionary success? This question is still not completely resolved, as both human species seem to behave in a similar way. The behavioral traces across the time varies in each specie, for example with our own specie, the behavioral dental is different depending on the period from the Magdalenian period is different from the people from the Cooper Age, as it seems they were using their teeth for different porpoises (Estalrrich, 2023).
Methodologically, this project developed and applied a state of the art 3D surface scanner, usually used in dentistry. With this instrument, we are able to obtain a digital model of isolated teeth or the whole the dentition of fossil specimens and study their morphology and reconstruct their past diet. This approach, together with the updated DMTA, provide helpful insights into the life of the humans from the past, help us to gain more knowledge in their behavior and ultimately understanding the patterns of variation and the evolutionary processes involved into the evolutional history of humans.
This project has completed seven scientific papers (four of them from scientific meetings) and a book chapter. Two more publications will be published soon.
This project has participated in nine international meetings and organized a dedicated symposium "Integrating dental wear" during the 92nd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Biological Anthropologists in April 2023.
Besides, this project has been involved in general public outreach: Women in Science organized by the Ateneo de Santander (2021), "Hoy hablamos de... Dientes del pasado" by Centro de Investigación y Museo Nacional de la Cueva de Altamira (2022), Pint of Science and European Researchers' Night (2023).
The project has developed collaborations with researchers from different universities from the USA and Spain: Loyola University of Chicago, University of Atlanta, University of Kansas, Universidad de La Rioja, University of Colorado, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spanish National Museum of Natural History (MNCN-CSIC).
The project has regularly organized and participated in public outreach events to engage children and adults in themes related to the research.
Social media and a dedicated web page have been implemented.
Future uses of the techniques used in this project will include not just the analysis of fossil teeth but the study of carnivores bite marks on fossil bones, paleopathologies on bones, and overall explore the whole skeleton for the reconstruction of the behavior of past populations.
The project has regularly organized and participated in public outreach events to engage children and adults in themes related to the research.
Social media and a dedicated web page have been implemented.
Future uses of the techniques used in this project will include not just the analysis of fossil teeth but the study of carnivores bite marks on fossil bones, paleopathologies on bones, and overall explore the whole skeleton for the reconstruction of the behavior of past populations.