Exploring prenatal and neonatal life history through dental histology in infants from the Phoenician necropolis of Motya (7th–6th century BCE)

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2023.104024
• Publication Date: 2023-05-05T17:06:14Z
• Authors: Beatrice Peripoli; Melania Gigante; Patrick Mahoney; Gina McFarlane; Alfredo Coppa; Federico Lugli; Gabriele Lauria; Luca Bondioli; Paola Sconzo; Luca Sineo; Alessia Nava
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; dental histology; Infant burials; mother-foetus health; Motya; perinatal mortality; Phoenicians; Dental histology; Infant burials; Mother-foetus health; Motya; Perinatal mortality; Phoenicians

The biological life history of infants from archaeological contexts can provide a unique insight into past human populations. Dental mineralized tissues contain a permanent record of their growth that can provide access to the prenatal and early infant life, and mortality, of human skeletons. This study focuses on the histomorphometric analysis of deciduous teeth from the ‘Archaic Necropolis’ of Motya (7th–6th century BCE, Sicily–Italy). The histomorphometric analysis is conducted on prenatal and postnatal enamel of eight anterior deciduous teeth from seven individuals from this Phoenician population to estimate their chronological age-at-death, health, and enamel growth parameters. Proteomic analysis has been used to determine the sex of the infants. The presence of the Neonatal Line in all specimens indicates that the seven individuals survived birth. The occurrence of at least one Accentuated Line in prenatal enamel in four out of seven individuals suggests the foetuses and/or their mothers experienced a stress-related event during pregnancy. As expected, there was limited variation in Daily Secretion Rates near the Enamel Dentine Junction. These rates increase toward the outer enamel surface and decrease toward the cervix. Our findings illustrate the importance of dental histology for reconstructing perinatal and early infancy mortality and morbidity patterns at Motya, which sheds light on the socio-cultural perception of new-borns and infants in an ancient Phoenician community.