Abstract:
This study aims to further understand the pattern of tooth wear and dietary behavior of people in Nong Rachawat archaeological site, Suphan buri province. Nong Rachawat dates to Neolithic period (3,800 to 4,000 years ago). Thirteenth samples of the first or the second lower molar on the mandible from 49 human bones, discovered from 2014 to 2015, were identified with a stereo microscope at 50X, 100X, and 200X magnification and compared with 10 samples of the first lower molar of people in current population. The modern samples were divided into 2 groups, including the group for ones who prefer meat consumption and the other for those who prefer vegetable consumption. The researcher decided to examine the molar teeth in particular since the molars are primarily used for grinding food. The findings revealed that the tooth abrasion of the prehistorical people at Nong Rachawat Archaeological was the combination between the scratch and the pit. The number of the scratches were more frequently found than the pits, and their sizes were different. When compared with the samples collected from the present peoples molars, the qualities of scratch and pit were similar to those of who prefer meat consumption rather than vegetable consumption. When considering from the other artifacts which were mutually discovered such as rice husks in the earthenware and bones of Bovidae Cervidea, Reptilia and fish. This led to conclude that the food consumed by the people contained quite rough and hard fiber. Moreover, the way of grinding food was chewing by slanting the jaws rather than biting. In sum, the way of living was a mixed subsistence strategies of hunting-gathering and agriculture