Product Review

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. Simon Hillson's book draws together for the first time 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 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 form an important part of the book.