Temporal pattern of dental caries at the western flank of the Central Plateau of Iran, c. 2700 BCE - 1600 CE.

Objective: To analyze the overall frequency and inter-tooth patterns of caries in three populations from ancient cemeteries located along the western border of the Central Iranian Plateau as a means to explore whether the populations of Iran had greater access to fermentable sugars after the establishment of the great empires.

Materials: Dental collections from Kafarved-Varzaneh (Early Bronze Age, MNI=66), Estark-Joshaqan (Iron Age, MNI=57), Tappeh Poustchi (Timurid and Safavid Period, MNI=34), together with comparative data from NE Syria.

Methods: Frequencies of dental caries per tooth categories, location and size of carious lesions are analyzed using Smith's Mean Measure of Divergence, Correspondence Analysis, χ and Kruskal-Wallis tests.