Cavities hold key to prehistoric mystery
Photo by Mark Pynes
Teeth are often the only skeletal remains left intact for an
thropological study after the ravages of time.
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Caveman’s smile inspires anthropologist
oy Jennifer roung
Of th* Em*r»M
Anthropology Professor John Lukacs has
put some bite into his research about a pre
historic culture by examining teeth to draw his
conclusions.
Lukacs work has unearthed the first
documented case of fluorosis in a pre-historic
culture. Fluorosis, an excess of fluoride, ap
peared in all of the remains Lukacs studied on a
500-acre dig in Mehrgarh, Pakistan.
The study of teeth rather than skeletal re
mains is an important research technique in
the study of ancient cultures because often
bones are too deteriorated to provide any
significant biological data.
“Exposing the bones to air often turns
them to dust. Sometimes you can see it virtual
ly happening before your eyes,” said Lukacs.
Lukacs concentrated his study on the only
intact remains, teeth. When looking for the
signs of fluorosis — the prevented formation of
the outer layer of tooth enamel, discoloration
or staining, the low incidence of dental decay
— Lukacs noted that a symptom of fluorosis
was missing, a reduction in tooth size. The
Mehrgarh people have among the largest teeth
of southern Asiatic populations of 8,000 B.C.
“These people did not achieve their total
(tooth) growth potential and still the have a
tremendous tooth surface,” said Lukacs.
Lukacs recently shared his research in
Brussels with fellow archaeologists at the
Seventh International Conference of South
Asian Archaeologists in Western Europe.
Tooth size is one way a physical an
thropologist distinguishes the mode of a socie
ty. The Mehrgarhs consumed a coarse, un
processed diet typical of a “pre-agriculturai”
civilization.
The Mehgarhs had a dental decay rate of
less than 1 percent as compared to 25 percent
for agricultural societies.
The source of fluoride in Pakistan is the
Bolan River. The river passes through
limestone deposits near its source where
fluoride occurs and is carried downriver. The
present-day population of Mehrgarh exhibit the
same signs of fluorosis as did the people of
8,000 B.C.
Lukacs plans to continue researching the
biology of the Neolithic people of Pakistan by
studying in closer detail a more complete set of
skeletal remains at Karachi.
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Continued from Page 1
peace activist 17 years ago.
Even before the fast, both
Gray and his wife have iden
tified with the hungry of the
world, have emulated their
condition. Since 1970, he has
subsisted on the World Equity
Budget, which is the world's
gross product divided by the
world's population — about
$90 a month. This often leads
them to peruse the grocery
store dumpsters of Eugene.
Gray does not want to be
called a martyr or a "special"
person. His action, which
many would call "drastic,” is
something any "ordinary per
son would take if a child fell in
a river or was in a burning
house — you'd rush in and try
to save that child. It's just an
ordinary human response,"
Gray said.
"We feel the world is in that
kind of situation — a situation
in which it may self-destruct in
a very short time People must
face this crisis, and possibly
by our action, which is an ac
tion of high risk, it will
somehow awaken people to
the nature of the crisis. It will
help people to look right at the
bomb and act app opriately to
stop it now. That's our hope "
To prepare for the fast, Gray
and the other tasters have got
ten themselves into the “best
physical, mental and spiritual
health.” The normally thin
Gray fattened himself up
about 20 pounds and had a
medical exam just before he
began the fast Saturday. Dur
ing the fast, the tasters will
drink only fresh, spring water.
Without food, the body cannot
handle chlorine, Gray said.
Fasting is not new to Gray.
He has participated in several
fasts, including a 12-day fast
in Sicily to bring attention to
construction of a cruise
missile base in Comiso.
The three fasting centers
are in Bonn, Paris and
Oakland. Beside the indefinite
fast, thousands of people and
11 nations have planned fasts
of a day, a week or longer.
‘‘I don’t especially like
fasting,” Gray says. “I’m not
looking forward to it. The best
thing aboui fasting is when
you can stop, as far as I'm
concerned
“The latier stages are not
pleasant. From what we’ve
learned, it’s not an easy death.
But you don’t think about that
when your child falls in the
river. You don’t think how cold
the water is. You’re going to
save your child.
“If it makes a difference,
then it will be worthwhile —
whether it costs me my life.”
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