The relationship between microwear on human teeth and nutrition:Samples from ancient Anatolian societies

The relationship between tooth of living species and nutrition is so important for anthropologic researches that, it is among the most considered issues in almost all the researches that have been made about these topics. Tooth, as being one of the most significant materials that give information about diet, environmental relationships and cultural structure, has been a constant research topic. It has been proved with the researches that, the food stuffs, which living species consumed, have a fundamental role on tooth wear. The recently recognized micro marks on occlusal are also evaluated carefully as well as the macro wears, which are defined as the apparent wears on tooth enamel. These micro marks have several characteristics about the ingredients, hardness, size and chewing force of the nutrients. In this regard, the tooth samples of Agora of Smyrna, Kyzikos, MinnetpInarI and Güllüdere skeletons that lived in Anatolia—also constituted the sample of this research—have been investigated and the diet of these societies has been examined depending upon the micro marks on the teeth of these societies’ people. Firstly, the diet of these societies has been investigated by examining micro tooth wears. Then, the relationship of these societies has been studied. By examining micro tooth wears of these societies, it has been discussed that whether the factors of age, sex, and facet are effective or not on micro wear marks. As a result of this study, it has been observed that societies that lived in different areas have different diets;and micro marks on teeth are significant indicators of living spaces, subsistence economies and life styles of the societies.

A new Late Miocene Hystrix(Hystricidae,Rodentia)from Turkey

TheÇorakyerler fossil locality in Anatolia reveals unique faunal elements.This study introduces Hystrix kayae sp.nov.,a new Late Miocene porcupine initially classified as Hystrix sp.Yavuz et al.,2018.This finding expands our knowledge of Late Miocene Anatolian porcupines,bringing the total number of known species to three.H.kayae sp.nov.is larger than Hystrix aryanensis and exhibits greater upper cheek tooth crown height.Its cheek tooth morphology differs from Hystrix depereti,and it possesses distinctive U-shaped choanae unlike Hystrix primigenia.TheÇorakyerler locality may predate sites with H.aryanensis and H.primigenia but aligns temporally with Hystrix parvae localities.This study enhances our understanding of Late Miocene porcupine diversity in Anatolia,emphasizing the importance ofÇorakyerler in unraveling the evolutionary history of these fascinating mammals.