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Sonderdruck aus
Archäologisches
Korrespondenzblatt
Jahrgang 49 · 2019 · Heft 3
Herausgegeben vom
Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum Mainz
Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Archäologie
REDAKTORINNEN UND REDAKTOREN
Paläolithikum, Mesolithikum: Martina Barth · Harald Floss
Neolithikum: Doris Mischka · Johannes Müller
Bronzezeit: Christoph Huth · Stefan Wirth
Hallstattzeit: Markus Egg · Dirk Krausse
Latènezeit: Rupert Gebhard · Sabine Hornung · Martin Schönfelder
Römische Kaiserzeit im Barbaricum: Matthias Becker · Claus von Carnap-Bornheim
Provinzialrömische Archäologie: Peter Henrich · Gabriele Seitz
Frühmittelalter: Brigitte Haas-Gebhard · Dieter Quast
Wikingerzeit, Hochmittelalter: Hauke Jöns · Bernd Päffgen
Archäologie und Naturwissenschaften: Felix Bittmann · Corina Knipper · Thomas Stöllner
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371Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 49 · 2019
NICOLE NICKLISCH · CORINA KNIPPER · OLAF NEHLICH · PETRA HELD
ANNE ROSSBACH · SABINE KLEIN · ROLAND SCHWAB · TOBIAS HÄGER
MARTIN WOLF · FRIEDER ENZMANN · BETTINA BIRKENHAGEN · KURT W. ALT
A ROMAN-PERIOD DENTAL FILLING
MADE OF A HARD TISSUE COMPOUND?
BIOARCHAEOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL-HISTORICAL INVESTIGATIONS
CARRIED OUT ON A ROMAN-PERIOD BURIAL
FROM OBERLEUKEN-PERL (LKR. MERZIG-WADERN / D)
During excavation work carried out in 2001 near the open-air site and museum »Villa Borg« in Ober leuken-
Perl (Lkr. Merzig-Wadern / D) the skeletal remains of a single individual were found in a prone position. The
archaeological context attested to its dating to the Roman Imperial period. The skeletal remains were recov-
ered and, between 2005 and 2013, underwent anthropological and archaeometric examinations at the
Institut für Anthropologie at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. Because of its unusual burial position,
particular care was taken to identify potential traces of injuries resulting from violence. Another goal of the
examination was to study an unusual dental feature which pointed to a possible »dental lling« in one of
the teeth. Whilst indirect evidence in the form of dental cavities and possible llings consisting of bitumen
or beeswax is known from as far back as the Upper Palaeolithic and Neolithic (Coppa et al. 2006; Bernardini
et al. 2012; Oxilia et al. 2017), conrmed evidence of dental llings only exists from the 17th century onwards
(Hoffmann-Axthelm 1979; Riethe / Czarnetzki 1983; Alt 1993; 2011). This study aims to present a compre-
hensive bioarchaeological, radiological and material analysis of the exceptional skeletal remains from Ober-
leuken-Perl using a broad range of methods.
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
The Archaeological Park Roman Villa Borg, which the Oberleuken »Auf Schiffels« excavation site was part
of, is located between the communities of Borg and Oberleuken in the municipality of Perl in the tri-border
region of Luxembourg, France, and Germany. The »Auf Schiffels« site is situated some 300 m north of the
actual villa’s outbuildings (fig. 1) and has so far yielded just a small number of structures, of which only
those west of the Roman road have been excavated (Birkenhagen 2010; Birkenhagen / Galla-Feld 2011). In
addition to the walls of a relatively large building (building 1), possibly a mansio, the remains of three other
houses were uncovered (fig. 2). Two wells and a feature which might have served as a horse pond also came
to light. As shown by the magnetometric examination east of the Roman road, we can expect to nd further
ground plans (of probably three to four buildings) there.
The excavations at the »Auf Schiffels« site were prompted by the construction of a parking lot. The archae-
ological eldwork was carried out in three consecutive campaigns from summer 1999 to summer / autumn
2001. The excavation overall extended over an area of c. 100 m × 60 m from north to south.
The structure and ground plan of building 1 were consistent with that of an inn with a large courtyard for
horses and carriages and an accommodation with bathing facilities for travellers (in other words, a mansio).
The surrounding buildings might have served as living quarters for tradesmen and staff. Post-excavation
372 N. Nicklisch et al. · A Roman-period Dental Filling Made of a Hard Tissue Compound?
work is still ongoing, but the analysis of the archaeological material is expected to conrm this interpreta-
tion of the site (Birkenhagen 2010; Birkenhagen / Galla-Feld 2011).
The skeleton was found during the nal excavation campaign in the area of building 3 (area 52/45, site180;
fig. 3). No burial pit or soil stain was visible in the top layers. The skeleton was only found when the earth
was removed, and the back of the skull came to light. When the remains were fully exposed, it became
Fig. 1 Topographic map of the area
around the site. The site Oberleuken
»AufSchiffels« (Lkr. Merzig- Wadern / D) is
located some 300 m north of the outbuild-
ings of Villa Borg. – (Illustration B. Birken-
hagen; source Geobasisdaten, ©LVGL ONL
25418/2018).
Fig. 2 Oberleuken »Auf Schiffels«
(Lkr. Merzig-Wadern / D). Plan of
the reconstructed Roman build-
ings.– (Illustration B. Birkenhagen;
source Landesdenkmalamt Saar-
land).
373Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 49 · 2019
obvious that the deceased had been buried on his stomach with his head pointing towards the north
(fig. 4).
According to the initial observations made by the excavator, Dr. Salomé Galla-Feld, the skull was located
some 7 cm beneath the surface on the same level as a »stone paving«. On closer inspection, the latter
Fig. 4 Oberleuken »Auf Schiffels« (Lkr. Merzig-
Wadern / D). Original position of the skeleton
(site180) lying face-down with its head pointing
north. Ink drawing (A) and photographic docu-
mentation (B). – (Illustration and photo B. Birken-
hagen; source Landesdenkmalamt Saarland).
Fig. 3 Oberleuken »Auf Schiffels« (Lkr. Merzig-Wadern / D). Plan
of buildings 3 and 4, showing the location of the skeleton (site 180)
in building 3. – (Illustration B. Birkenhagen; source Landesdenk-
malamt Saarland).
appears to be the bottommost layer or the remnants
of a wall, which apparently belonged to an early
construction phase of building 3. The wall is located
immediately adjacent to another wall foundation
(site 190), which was still intact. The upper body was
covered by local limestone and appears to have lain
on top of the same type of material. From the waist
down, the cover stones decreased in number and
became smaller. The context indicated that a wall
had been stripped down to its foundations. The
remains of the foundation trench and a small section
of the bottommost foundation layer had been the
only elements that remained extant. This »pit« had
been used to deposit the body, which had then been
covered with any available stones and rubble. Unfor-
tunately, the excavation did not continue after the
recovery of the skeleton and the ground beneath it
was not examined any further. The records, there-
fore, do not indicate whether the skeleton had lain
on another archaeological layer or the natural soil.
The section drawings do not provide any further
information either.
374 N. Nicklisch et al. · A Roman-period Dental Filling Made of a Hard Tissue Compound?
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Osteological examination
To begin with, the skeletal remains were washed and dried, fragmented bones were reconstructed and the
state of preservation was recorded. Age and sex are some of the basic data obtained from an osteological
examination (Ferembach / Schwidetzky / Stloukal 1980; Buikstra / Ubelaker 1994; White / Folkens 2005). Sex
determination was carried out using the classic features of the skull and pelvis (Phenice 1969; Ferem-
bach / Schwidetzky / Stloukal 1980). Age determination was obtained by assessing the extent of closure of
the cranial sutures (Meindl / Lovejoy 1985), the degree of dental wear (Miles 1963; Lovejoy 1985), the
age-related changes to the sternal rib ends (Iscan / Loth / Wright 1984) and the auricular surface of the pelvis
(Lovejoy et al. 1985). Measurements of the long bones were used to determine the individual’s body height
(Pearson 1899). Because of the unusual location and context, special attention was paid to potential patho-
logical changes and injuries to the bones, particularly to determine the circumstances of death (Steinbock
1976; Aufderheide / Rodriguez-Martin 1998; Ortner 2003). Beyond the conventional anthropological study,
methods of biogeochemistry and material analysis were also employed. These were used to identify the
composition of the possible dental lling.
Radiocarbon dating
In 2014, a bone sample was taken from one of the femurs and sent for radiocarbon dating to the Klaus-
Tschira-Labor für Physikalische Altersbestimmung at the Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Archäometrie gGmbH
(Mannheim), to obtain an absolute date for the feature (MAMS 20490). Collagen was extracted using the
modied method developed by R. Longin (1971), the desired fraction (> 30 kD) was separated by ultraltra-
tion, freeze-dried and then combusted. The CO2 was converted to graphite by catalytic reduction and the
14C content measured using the MICADAS-AMS system (Kromer et al. 2013).
Isotope analyses
Strontium isotope ratios (87Sr / 86Sr) in the dental enamel are indicators of human mobility. During the for-
mation of a person’s dental crowns, the dental enamel stores information regarding the geological environ-
ment of the location where they spent their childhood and early adolescence from the food and water they
consumed there (Knipper 2004; Bentley 2006). The analysis was carried out at the Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum
Archäometrie using the methodology described by C. Knipper et al. (2012). In this case, tooth enamel sam-
ples were extracted from three molars (teeth 16, 17, 18) and a bone sample was taken from the left femur.
A bone sample from a pig was used as a local comparative sample. After grinding, purifying and incinerat-
ing the samples, the strontium was extracted under cleanroom conditions using Sr-Spec ion-exchange resin;
the Sr concentration in the resulting solution was then measured using a single collector ICP (inductively
coupled plasma) mass spectrometer. A multi-collector ICP mass spectrometer (VG Axiom) was used to iden-
tify the isotope ratios. The data obtained were normalised to 88Sr / 86Sr = 8.375209 based on the exponential
mass fractionation law.
It has become a standard process in archaeometry to analyse stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen isotopes
(δ15N) from the archaeological source material. The main foundations were laid by M. J. DeNiro and
375Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 49 · 2019
M. J. Schoeninger, who established a connection between the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in food
and the ratios in consumer tissue (collagen in the bone) (DeNiro / Epstein 1978; 1981; Schoeninger / DeNiro
1984). In the case presented here, a long bone (humerus) was sampled and some 300 mg of bone were
analysed. Sample preparation was carried out using the specication set out by R. Longin (1971) as modied
by P. Semal and R. Orban (1995) and by T. Brown et al. (1988). The long-chain collagen extracted in this
manner was analysed using a mass spectrometer (MAT Finnigan® Delta XL plus) for light stable isotopes
coupled with an element analyser (University of Bradford, UK). Horse, sheep / goat, red deer and hare bones
were used as reference samples for comparison with the human sample. All animal bones and teeth were
found during excavations around the Roman Villa Borg and t into the same time frame.
X-ray diffractometry and energy-dispersive micro X-ray uorescence
Examinations using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersive micro X-ray uorescence (μ-XRF) were
carried out at the geoscience laboratories of the Goethe-Universität Frankfurt (Institut für Geowissenschaf-
ten). The blackish-brown deposit in the tooth was analysed on one hand by means of energy-dispersive
micro X-ray uorescence (Eagle II, X-ray analytical measurement technology; analysis: S. Klein) and on the
other by means of X-ray diffractometry (X-ray powder diffractometer, Panalytical X’Pert Pro; analysis:
R. Petschick). Both procedures allowed us to obtain information about the composition of phases and
elements.
Micro X-ray uorescence was carried out using a rhodium X-ray tube with a voltage of 40 kV and an amper-
age of 95 μA (with a detector dead time of 30-40 %). The measuring time was 150 seconds per measure-
ment. Wherever possible, the measuring spot was set to 300 μm in diameter. Because the object can be
placed without preceding preparation or mounting in the sample chamber and the X-ray exposure does not
consume the sample, this method is non-destructive. The atoms of phases in the sample surface are excited
by the radiation and react in a manner that is characteristic of each element. This allows us to identify the
major and minor components in the percentage range with a detection limit of c. 0.2 %. In this case, the
analysis provided the inorganic chemical composition of the sample. The results were semi-quantitative
because the standardless fundamental parameter method was applied. The elements were calculated to
oxides.
For X-ray diffraction examination, a sample was taken from the potential dental lling using a spatula and
the gained portion was then carefully ground using an agate mortar and pestle. From the sample prepara-
tion, it was obvious that the hardness of the material was heterogeneous. Whilst part of the material was
very soft and almost earthy, other was harder. The resulting powder was placed in a special PVC sample
holder suitable for minute sample sizes (< 50 mg). The holder was locked into position and the X-ray analy-
sis carried out. Data assessment consisted of comparing the highest peaks with published reference lists
(Powder Diffraction Files) to determine the phases (compounds) present by means of an iterative process.
Infrared spectroscopy and micro-CT analysis
FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) and micro-CT analyses were carried out at the Institut für
Geowissenschaften, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.
For the FTIR analysis, a sample of approx. 1 mg was taken from the possible »dental lling« using a scalpel
and mixed with 150 mg potassium bromide. The homogenised mixture was formed into a pellet using an
376 N. Nicklisch et al. · A Roman-period Dental Filling Made of a Hard Tissue Compound?
8-ton press and then analysed using an FTIR spectrometer by Thermo Scientic – Nicolet (Model 6700) in
the mid-infrared region of 4000 to 400 cm-1.
For the micro-CT analysis, the tooth with the possible lling was examined using the micro-computed
tomography system CT Alpha by the company Procon X-Ray at a voltage of 90 kV and an amperage of
110 μA, coupled with a 0.5 mm aluminium lter. The micro CT produced images of the tooth at a 360-degree
rotation on 1200 projections at 2-second exposures each, allowing for a spatial resolution of 10.2 μm. The
CT detector (Hamamatsu CMOS Flat Panel Sensor C7942SK-05) translates the intensity of the radiation,
which is weakened when entering the sample, into so-called greyscale values. These result from the radi-
ation energy, the extent of weakening of the radiation in the different sample materials and the sensitivity
of the scintillation crystals in the detector. High values represent high density, low values represent low
density.
Scanning electron microscope and EDX analyses
Initial examinations had already been carried out in 2006 at the Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Archäometrie in
Mannheim using a conventional scanning electron microscope (SEM). Repeat analyses were undertaken in
2013 using a ZEISS device (EVO 60 MA 25) with a variable pressure range (10-400 Pa) for non-conductive
samples; energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was carried out using a Silicon Drift Detector (SDD).
Astandardless quantication method was employed in this case using the peak-to-background method
(BRUKER QUANTAX Esprit 1.9.4).
RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION
Osteological examination
The skeleton was well represented with almost completely preserved long bones (fig. 4). The pectoral girdle
and the pelvis area were also well preserved. However, some of the skeletal elements were in a rather frag-
mented state. These included the torso with the spine and ribs as well as the skull, which could not be fully
reconstructed. The remains belonged to the same individual whose sex was identied as male. The age of
the individual was determined to have been 30-40 years. Based on the right femur, the individual’s height
was reconstructed as approx. 168.2 cm (± 3.3 cm).
The remains examined bore no injuries or pathological changes that could have pointed to the cause of
death. Traces of wear and tear on the joints or vertebrae were slight, which was consistent with the age
determined. Any activities that involve a particularly high degree of physical stress and lead to premature
arthritis were largely excluded for this individual.
The jaw bones and teeth were also examined. In contrast to the mandible, the maxilla was highly frag-
mented. The right maxillary wisdom tooth (tooth 18) exhibited a radicular cyst (Radicula appendiciformes)
which, however, would have had no pathological signicance for the individual concerned (Alt 1997).
The mandibular second molar on the left (fig. 5) appeared to be of particular relevance. The molar (tooth37
FDI notation) exhibited a dark discolouration on the mesial approximal surface, which was reminiscent of
a dental lling and stood out from the surrounding dental enamel (fig. 5C). The surface of the black-
377Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 49 · 2019
ish-brown to dark-grey defect was rough to the touch. The adjacent enamel exhibited eforescence of
identical colour. The rst molar (tooth 36 FDI notation) had been lost or extracted during the individual’s
lifetime. The extent of bone formation in the tooth socket indicated that the tooth had been lost a long
time before the individual had died (fig. 5A-B). Other teeth with carious lesions were found in the right
maxilla (teeth 14, 15, 17, 18) and mandible (tooth 45). None of these, however, bore traces of manipula-
tion or lling.
Results of the radiocarbon dating
A radiocarbon date of 1967 ± 19 BP was obtained with the calibrated range (2σ) falling between 36 cal BC
and AD 76 (cal 1σ: AD 19-64). The burial therefore dated from the Roman Imperial period, and more pre-
cisely, from the 1st century AD.
Fig. 5 Oberleuken »Auf Schiffels« (Lkr. Merzig-Wadern / D). Mandible of the skeleton with remaining teeth and tooth 37 (second left
molar) with a possible dental lling; occlusal view (A) and left lateral view (B). Detail of tooth 37 with the possible dental lling in the
mesial approximal area of the dental neck including the eforescence in the area of the preserved dental enamel (C). – (Photos P. Held).
378 N. Nicklisch et al. · A Roman-period Dental Filling Made of a Hard Tissue Compound?
Isotope analyses
Strontium isotope analysis
to ascertain the individual’s origins
The 87Sr / 86Sr ratios of the individual’s rst, second
and third molars yielded very similar values of
0.70975, 0.70952 and 0.70976 (tab. 1; fig. 6). A
change of locality during his childhood and early ado-
lescence is therefore highly unlikely unless the new
locality had very similar geological conditions.
However, the values do differ signicantly from the
more radiogenic (higher) isotope ratios in the indi-
vidual’s femur (0.71270) and in the third molar and
a bone sample taken from the pig (0.71626 and
0.71501) (fig. 6). These comparative data indicate
that the locally available strontium is characterised
by geologically very old Hunsrück shale. The isotope
ratios in the dental enamel of the individual were
sample individual skeletal region material ppm Sr 87Sr /
86Sr 2σ
1.1 human first upper molar (M1) enamel 93 0.70975 0.00003
1.2 human second upper molar (M2) enamel 81 0.70952 0.00005
1.3 human third upper molar (M3) enamel 63 0.70976 0.00006
1.4 human right femur bone 137 0.71270 0.00002
2.1 pig third lower molar (M3) enamel 79 0.71626 0.00002
2.2 pig mandibula bone 151 0.71501 0.00003
Tab. 1 Results of the strontium isotope analyses of three teeth and a bone from the male individual and of a tooth and mandible bone
from a pig.
Fig. 6 Oberleuken »Auf Schiffels« (Lkr. Merzig-Wadern / D). Direct
comparison between the strontium isotope data from the burial
and from a pig. The results of the dental analyses (M1, M2, M3)
indicate that the man experienced a change in locality as an adult.–
(Illustration C. Knipper).
very different and showed that he would not have spent his childhood and adolescence in Oberleuken or
its immediate environs. The fact that the three molars yielded very similar values, which differed from the
isotope ratios typically found in the region of Oberleuken, indicated that the change of locality took place
after the crown on his wisdom tooth had fully formed (in other words after the age of 14-18). However, it
was not possible based on the data available to ascertain whether the man had arrived in Oberleuken
shortly before his death or whether he had been in the area for a longer period. Potential distances of
migration and thus his region of origin were hard to ascertain because the strontium isotope ratios of the
teeth that were examined were all between 0.709 and 0.710, which is a range that occurs very often. This
range is characteristic of Loess regions, which are very widespread, and can also be found in areas with
other types of sedimentary rock.
Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis to reconstruct dietary habits
The analysis of the human sample yielded a carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) of –20.1 ‰ and a nitrogen isotope
ratio (δ15N) of 9.7 ‰ (tab. 2; fig. 7). Compared to the animal samples analysed, the human δ13C values
were around 1.5 ‰ elevated and the δ15N values around 4.5 ‰ higher.
379Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 49 · 2019
The carbon isotope values measured in the animal samples lay between –22.2 and –21.5 ‰, which is a dis-
crete range and points to a forested habitat (Schoeninger / Iwaniec / Glander 1997). The relatively high δ15N
values in the animal samples, ranging between 4.6 and 8.5 ‰, point to a particular type of habitat. Such
enriched values are usually found in closed forest habitats where the nitrogen in the plants is continually
recycled within the ecosystem. The goat / sheep sample, which could not be identied any further, was char-
acterised by a particularly high δ15N value (see fig. 7). It may have been a kid or lamb, which would be at a
higher trophic level than adult animals because of its mother’s milk. However, due to the fragmented state
of the bone, it was not possible to determine the animal’s age. The isotope values of the male individual
(δ13C: –20.1 ‰; δ15N: 9.7 ‰) were consistent with a contribution of meat or dairy products from those of
the animals to his diet. Moreover, the results t in well with the data published for other sites from the same
period. The man’s diet would have been a typical mixed diet made up of the available animal protein and
C3 plants.
Attempts at identifying the material of the possible »dental lling«
Radiology and micro CT
A conventional X-ray image of the left mandible from Oberleuken-Perl showed a distinct hard-tissue defect
in the mesial approximal area of tooth 37 (fig. 8). The resulting cavity appeared to have been lled with a
»substance«. The X-ray density of this substance lay somewhere between that of the dental enamel and
dentine.
The micro-CT analysis yielded more detailed information (fig. 9). From a structural point of view, it was very
difcult to distinguish between the dentine and the possible lling, except for the fact that the surface of
sample species skeletal region δ13C (‰) δ15N (‰)
H-1 human femur –20.1 9.7
A-1 horse left metacarpal –22.1 5.4
A-2 sheep / goat left tibia –21.5 8.5
A-3 red deer right metacarpal –22.2 4.9
A-4 hare right tibia –21.4 4.6
Tab. 2 Overall average of the δ13C and δ15N
values of the male individual and of domestic and
wild animals for comparison.
Fig. 7 Oberleuken »Auf Schiffels« (Lkr. Merzig-
Wadern / D). Graphic representation of the δ13C
and δ15N values of the species examined. Com-
pared to the animals, the man’s δ13C values are
approx. 1.5 ‰ higher and his δ15N values are
elevated by approx. 4.5 ‰, which points to a
mixed diet made up of locally available animal
protein and C3 plants. – (Illustration O. Nehlich).
380 N. Nicklisch et al. · A Roman-period Dental Filling Made of a Hard Tissue Compound?
the latter was signicantly coarser than the surface of the dentine or dental enamel. Some of the desiccation
cracks in the dentine continued into the possible lling but did not lead to spalling, which also points to very
similar material properties (fig. 9A).
Figure 9B shows a cross-section of the three-dimensional CT image of the tooth. It is a vertical section at
the level of the possible lling (right exterior), which in this image reached a maximum thickness of 1.8 mm;
the pulp is just visible to the left of it. The varying greyscales in the image result from the different densities
of the materials in the tooth, or more precisely, from their linear attenuation coefcient. The dental enamel
(top) with its slightly higher density is of a lighter colour, the dentine with its slightly lower density is some-
what darker. The lling is just a little lighter in colour than the dentine, which indicates very similar densities.
The difference in the materials was almost impossible to distinguish from the images, which is why a seg-
Fig. 8 Oberleuken »Auf Schiffels«
(Lkr. Mer zig-Wadern / D). X-ray image
ofthe left mandible showing changes
inthe mesial area of the crown of tooth 37
(arrow). – (X-ray image M. Wolf / E. Enz-
mann).
Fig. 9 Oberleuken »Auf Schiffels« (Lkr. Merzig-Wadern / D). Micro-CT images of tooth 37. – A section through the tooth parallel to the
chewing surface. There is a clear boundary between the dental enamel and the dentine on the (upper) buccal and right (distal) side. The
possible dental lling can be distinguished from the dentine as a slightly lighter, crescent-shaped area (arrows). – B longitudinal section
through the tooth. Because of its slightly higher density, the dental enamel is slightly lighter in colour than the dentine in the areas of its
occlusal surface and on its mesial and distal sides. The possible lling (right exterior) is distinguishable from the dentine by its slightly lighter
greyscale (arrows); the dental enamel in the mesial area is intersected by the upper edge of the cavity. – (Photos M. Wolf / E. Enzmann).
381Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 49 · 2019
mentation was not possible. This, in turn, prevented us from identifying the volume of the »lling« or cre-
ating an isolated three-dimensional image of it. The transition between the possible lling and the dentine
was almost seamless, both within the tooth and on the surface. The only exceptions were ne hairline
cracks between both materials at the top and bottom edges of the cavity. In some areas, the CT showed a
gradual transition between the materials. A step was visible between the possible lling and the dental
enamel.
Because the greyscales of the different materials result from a range of factors (e. g. atomic number, radia-
tion energy, detector properties) it is not possible to derive any absolute data concerning material densities.
In medical diagnostics, the Hounseld scale is used to differentiate between organic tissues and to describe
the location-dependent attenuation of the radiation when it is absorbed by the tissue. The measurements
obtained were in the hard-tissue range but could not be differentiated any further. The slight differences in
the greyscales, however, do indicate that the dentine and the »ll material« had different densities.
Material analysis
Results of the μ-ED-XRF and XRD analyses
According to the energy-dispersive μ-X-ray uorescence analysis, the intact tooth consisted of 58 wt % CaO
(calcium), 39 wt % P2O5 (phosphorus) and 1 wt % SiO2 (silicon) (tab. 3). From a phase-analytical point of
view, the main component of the tooth, as identied by X-ray diffraction, was hydroxyapatite.
In some of the intact areas in the vicinity of the blackish-brown deposit, which was presumed to have been
a dental lling, the tooth exhibited a brown eforescence. Besides being overprinted by the dental sub-
stance, these areas contained elevated amounts of aluminium oxide and silicium oxide (5 wt % Al2O3 and
11 wt % SiO2), titanium oxide (0.5 wt % TiO2), but also a signicant proportion of manganese oxide (15 wt %
MnO) and iron oxide (2 wt % Fe2O3) (tab. 4). Various locations of the blackish-brown deposit were also
analysed in situ (tab. 5). The analyses, much like in the eforescence, yielded an elevated aluminium and
substantially higher silicium content (up to 8 wt % Al2O3 and 20 wt % SiO2), but also titanium oxide with up
to 0.4 wt %. The manganese values lay at 3-4 wt % MnO, the iron values at 2-7 wt % Fe2O3.
From the blackish-brown deposit, a small sample amount (< 10 mg) was analysed for the phase composition
by the X-ray diffractometry method. Besides hydroxyapatite, the major tooth components, also rutile (TiO2),
quartz (SiO2) and goethite (α-FeOOH) were identied. In its crystallised form, rutile is yellowish-brown to
reddish, in a pulverised state it is white, as is quartz. Rutile is used as a white pigment, but it does not occur
intact tooth
oxide Wt % At % I-Error % BG Wt-Error
Al2O3 0.6 0.43 8.71 1.92 0.05
SiO2 1.22 1.51 3.1 2.08 0.04
P2O539.13 20.42 0.37 2.08 0.64
K2O 0.44 0.35 2.6 2.4 0.01
CaO 58.39 77.12 0.2 2.56 0.94
TiO2 0 0 0 2.83 0
MnO 0.04 0.04 11.22 3.87 0
Fe2O3 0.07 0.03 7.55 4.83 0.01
ZnO 0.1 0.09 3.96 7.19 0
Tab. 3 μ-ED-XRF analysis of the intact tooth.
The values were calculated for the oxide forms
using the fundamental parameter method. –
Wt % = weight percent; At % = atomic percent;
I-Error % = alpha error; BG = detection limit;
Wt-Error = weight error.
382 N. Nicklisch et al. · A Roman-period Dental Filling Made of a Hard Tissue Compound?
in nature as an individual material, and thus has only been man-made and used as a whitening pigment
since the modern period.
According to the μ-ED-XRF analysis, iron and manganese oxides, both red and brownish-black in colour,
were barely identied in the intact tooth (< 0.1 wt %), but were found in signicant quantities in the possible
dental lling (4 wt % MnO) and in the eforescence-affected areas of the intact tooth (15 wt % MnO).
Unexpectedly, it was not possible, using XRD, to identify an inorganic crystallised manganese-rich mineral
phase; manganese may have been present in other than a crystallized inorganic phase, maybe as part of a
complex or organic compound.
The following conclusions can be drawn from the results of the μ-ED-XRF and XRD analyses: the fact that
the area in question is distinct from the intact tooth can be used to make a case for the existence of a den-
tal lling. The material was, although heterogeneous in hardness, in total much softer in this area, thus
brown efflorescence on the intact tooth
oxide Wt % At % I-Error % BG Wt-Error
Al2O3 5.42 3.6 2.95 1.92 0.18
SiO210.76 12.13 1.34 2.17 0.22
P2O514.8 7.06 0.92 2.17 0.27
K2O 1.57 1.13 1.71 2.7 0.04
CaO 49.43 59.73 0.28 2.99 0.8
TiO2 0.49 0.41 4.29 3.29 0.02
MnO 15.87 15.16 0.37 3.93 0.26
Fe2O3 1.51 0.64 1.24 4.27 0.03
ZnO 0.15 0.13 4.98 5.06 0.01
Tab. 4 μ-ED-XRF analysis of the brown
efflorescence on the intact tooth. The values
werecalculated for the oxide forms using the
fundamental parameter method. – Wt % =
weight percent; At % = atomic percent;
I-Error % = alpha error; BG = detection limit;
Wt-Error = weight error.
»dental filling« centre brown 1
oxide Wt % At % I-Error % BG Wt-Error
Al2O3 1.44 1.06 8.27 0.56 0.12
SiO2 2.83 3.55 3.45 0.61 0.11
P2O531.62 16.8 0.77 0.61 0.56
K2O 0.52 0.42 4.18 0.8 0.02
CaO 52.21 70.23 0.36 0.85 0.86
TiO2 0.17 0.16 11.07 1.02 0.02
MnO 4.13 4.39 0.96 1.35 0.08
Fe2O3 7 3.31 0.71 1.57 0.12
ZnO 0.08 0.07 10.43 2.51 0.01
»dental filling« centre brown 2
oxide Wt % At % I-Error % BG Wt-Error
Al2O3 8.55 5.86 1.54 0.83 0.19
SiO220.65 24.04 0.71 1.09 0.36
P2O518.92 9.32 0.65 1.31 0.33
K2O 1.75 1.3 1.27 2.73 0.04
CaO 43.57 54.34 0.24 3.25 0.71
TiO2 0.43 0.37 3.41 4.32 0.02
MnO 3.73 3.68 0.57 5.91 0.06
Fe2O3 2.35 1.03 0.71 6.27 0.04
ZnO 0.07 0.06 6.27 7.97 0
Tab. 5 μ-ED-XRF analysis of the possible dental
lling. Two different areas were examined. The
values were calculated for the oxide forms using
the fundamental parameter method. – Wt % =
weight percent; At % = atomic percent;
I-Error % = alpha error; BG = detection limit;
Wt-Error = weight error.
383Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 49 · 2019
pointing to the presence of some sort of ne-grained material. The entire area in question became dis-
coloured over time: manganese-rich substances staining the intact tooth as dark-coloured eforescence by
developing from the weakened cavity surface into the direction of the intact tooth. It is obvious that the
areas of the eforescence were all located along the edges of the cavity.
If this was an intentional dental lling, it may have consisted of the white components rutile and quartz,
both of which were identied using XRD. These could have been mixed and bound by an organic substance
such as egg, oil or casein to form a paste, which would have been similar in colour to the tooth. As for
manganese and iron, it should not be ignored that proportions might have been also subsequently absorbed
by the possible dental lling from the surrounding soil since ne-grained material is more absorbent than
intact dental enamel. The only question, in this case, would be how the hardening of the paste could have
been achieved. Another theory would be that the white components were mixed with the Roman »univer-
sal remedy« wood tar, a hydrophobic material that preserves well when it is deposited in the ground over a
long period of time (pers. comm. Dr. U. Baumer, Doerner Institut, Munich, 2012). Once it has dried off, the
consistency of wood tar is similar to modelling clay; it could easily have been mixed with quartz and rutile
powder and would have been well suited for the use as a lling, though it would not have been of a similar
Fig. 10 Oberleuken »Auf Schiffels« (Lkr. Merzig-Wadern / D): A secondary electron image of the lling. – B transition between the tooth
and the possible lling. – C the edges between the dental enamel and the »lling material« are made visible on the backscattered electron
image by shading, whilst the tooth and the possible lling have almost identical backscatter coefcients. – D a combination between
backscattered electron imaging and qualitative element mapping without the main components calcium and phosphorus. – (Photos
R. Schwab).
384 N. Nicklisch et al. · A Roman-period Dental Filling Made of a Hard Tissue Compound?
colour to the surrounding tooth. The fact that quartz and rutile are harder than dental enamel (dental
enamel: 5, rutile: 6-6.5 and quartz: 7 on the Mohs hardness scale) would make the result more durable and
resistant to mechanical stress. Organic components were not identied, though modern softening agents
in plastic wrappers, synthetics in labels or coatings, remnants of adhesive tape etc. (which were used in this
case to keep the samples separate), could lead to distorted results from such analyses.
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX)
Backscattered electron imaging shows local differences in the composition based on the different backscat-
ter coefcients from the individual elements of a material: compounds of elements with higher atomic
numbers appear in a lighter colour than elements with lower atomic numbers. The backscattered electron
images in this case clearly showed that the lling must have had a near-identical composition to that of the
tooth, whilst a substance of a different composition had accumulated in scratches and in between the lling
and the tooth (fig. 10). According to the electron microanalysis, the possible lling consisted mainly of cal-
cium phosphate which, based on the presence of manganese, iron, silicon, and aluminium, was probably
contaminated by a sediment that had accumulated in depressions (tab. 6). The sediment remains were not
just found in the lling but on the tooth as well and were therefore subsequently introduced.
Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR = Fourier transform infrared spectrometer)
The spectra recorded by means of 64 scans showed hydroxyapatite and collagen to be the main compo-
nents of the possible lling, as is typical of the tooth and / or bone material. Figure 11 shows the spectrum
of the »dental lling« compared to animal dentine (Weiner database). The outstanding feature is that there
Na2O MgO Al2O3SiO2P2O5SO2K2O CaO TiO2MnO FeO
»filling« 0.6 0.6 1.2 2.7 35 0.3 0.6 54 0.4 2.7 2.6
s 0.2 0.2 0.7 1.3 1.3 0.1 0.1 2.4 0.1 1 0.2
Tab. 6 Mean values (rounded up) obtained by EDX analyses (in percent by mass) recalculated for the usual oxides with the respective
standard deviations (s).
Fig. 11 Oberleuken »Auf Schiffels« (Lkr. Merzig-
Wadern / D). Infrared spectroscopy. Spectrum of the
»dental lling« as compared to the animal dentine
(Weiner database). – (Illustration T. Häger).
385Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 49 · 2019
are clear differences between the two spectra. The double peak at 603 and 563 cm-1 that is typical of
hydroxyapatite and is visible on the right-hand side of the gure, is not visible in the spectrum of the »ll-
ing«. The »splitting factor« would normally be calculated to indicate the state of preservation of bone and
teeth. The absence of a visible double peak, in this case, could mean either that it was not hydroxyapatite
or that the spectra of several components were superimposed. It was not possible by means of FTIR to iden-
tify a »binder« or any other foreign substance.
DISCUSSION
The remains were found in a prone, and therefore irregular, burial position. None of the individual’s personal
effects were preserved and no remnants of clothing or metal artefacts came to light. We may, therefore,
assume that the man was stripped of his belongings, such as jewellery or a belt, and that he was placed in
the burial pit more or less unclothed. The context indicates that the body had to be »disposed of« as quickly
as possible. Neither the body position within the pit nor the ndspot within the settlement or the deposition
without grave goods is consistent with funerary rites known from the Roman period. In archaeological
research, any burial rites that differ from the regular, culturally relevant funerary practices are classed as
deviant or atypical burials; examples are known from all cultures and periods (Wahl 1994; Orschiedt 1998).
It is known from a range of comparable archaeological sites that individuals who died of unnatural causes,
be it as a result of an accident or a violent encounter, were often buried in a different manner than was
customary in the communities they belonged to (e. g. Berszin / Wahl 2002; Meyer et al. 2013; Pichler et al.
2013).
Irregular burials were not uncommon at this time, as evidenced by numerous skeletal nds from wells or
ditches (e. g. Lange / Schultz 1982; Wahl 1991; 1997; Czysz 2003). Two regional examples should be men-
tioned here. An excavation carried out at Rubenheim (Saar-Pfalz-Kreis / D; Reinhard 2002) uncovered a sim-
ilar feature to the Oberleuken nd. There too, a skeleton was found in a prone position directly beside the
foundations of a Roman building. In that case, however, it was evident that the individual had been the
victim of a violent attack. There was also a complete absence of any belongings, and it was not until the
bone material was radiocarbon dated that it was conrmed to date from the Roman period. The archaeol-
ogists presumed that the deceased had been the victim of a nasty attack and was then hastily buried in the
ditch of the foundation wall (Reinhard 2002). Another example can be cited from the excavations carried
out at the Gallo-Roman theatre of Dalheim (Ct. Remich) in Luxembourg (Henrich 2015). The incomplete
skeleton of an older man found there showed various injuries to the skull (Held / Alt 2015). The man’s violent
death has been linked to the Germanic invasion in the 3rd century (Henrich 2015, 225).
It is quite likely that the Oberleuken individual suffered a similar fate, though the skeletal remains exhibited
no evidence of violence. The absence of injury to the bones does not exclude the possibility that the man’s
premature death was caused by violence. Injuries to the internal organs or any of the larger vessels can also
quickly lead to a person’s death (Walker 2001; Cappella et al. 2014). How the individual was deposited
allows us to draw conclusions concerning the relationship between the deceased and the »burial commu-
nity« (Komar 2008). A quick and careless »disposal« of the body does not point to a high degree of respect
for the deceased. A particularly interesting aspect in this context is the fact that the strontium isotope ratios
measured in the teeth were not consistent with the biologically available strontium in the area, and thus is
a sign of the man’s non-local origin. He probably arrived in the region as an adult and may not have had a
sufcient degree of social rootedness in the local community. It was not possible to make any statements
regarding his actual region of origin.
386 N. Nicklisch et al. · A Roman-period Dental Filling Made of a Hard Tissue Compound?
The possible dental lling is particularly interesting for the medical history. The macroscopic analysis and
X-ray results both indicated that a mesial defect in the approximal area of the second molar of the left man-
dible (tooth 37), which had probably been caused by caries, was lled with a dark substance, which may
have been discoloured as a result of taphonomic processes. The occurrence of caries in the area of contact
between two teeth is not unusual because remnants of food often become trapped in these locations and
the absence of the appropriate dental care – tooth brushes were not widely used until the early 19th cen-
tury– sooner or later lead to dental caries. It was therefore almost the norm before the personal hygiene
became common practice that one’s teeth were lost to caries throughout one’s lifetime (e. g. Alt 2001; Leh-
mann / Hellwig 2005). The missing rst lower molar was likely lost due to the reasons outlined above.
Because of the dating of the feature to the Roman Imperial period, however, it seems highly unlikely,
though not beyond the realms of possibility, that a cavity caused by caries would have been lled as part
of dental treatment. The earliest concrete evidence for a dental lling in Europe concerned Anna Ursula
von Braunschweig und Lüneburg who died in 1601 at the age of 28. Two llings were identied in that
case, one made of gold, the other of amalgam, both in the same right upper molar (Riethe / Czarnetzki
1983). Asmall number of metal llings made of tin, lead, gold, copper and cadmium date from no earlier
than the 16th century. Amalgam is believed to have been known in China since the 7th century, and in
Europe, it is mentioned for the rst time in a prescription by the Ulm physician Johannes Stocker (Riethe
1980). Dental llings became more widespread from the 18th century onwards, though at that time they
were still limited exclusively to members of the upper classes who could afford such luxury procedures (Alt
1993; 1994; Cox et al. 2000). This social aspect is even more pronounced concerning the use of dental
prostheses (Alt 2011).
More recent studies, however, have emphasised the fact that even prehistoric people did not simply accept
painful dental defects, but that they used various means to either treat themselves or get treatment from
healers. These were not routine medical procedures but rather measures to relieve pain and other ailments.
In a case study on a Neolithic nd from Slovenia, F. Bernardini et al. (2012) have interpreted the evidence as
pointing to a therapeutic palliative treatment which involved closing a fracture in a tooth using beeswax.
Much earlier nds from an Early Neolithic context in Pakistan (Coppa et al. 2006) and a Late Palaeolithic
context in Italy (Oxilia et al. 2015) have shown that carious defects were treated by scraping out the affected
tooth or even drilling into it. Material analyses carried out on a Palaeolithic nd from Italy have provided
evidence of bitumen being used as a component in a dental lling (Oxilia et al. 2017); bitumen is known to
have been used in medical contexts throughout Antiquity.
The material analyses carried out on the possible dental lling from Oberleuken have identied hydroxyapa-
tite as the main component, which is the primary natural mineral component in teeth and bone. In addition,
traces of rutile, quartz, goethite, manganese, and iron were found. None of the historical or modern den-
tistry references consulted for the purpose of this study indicated that the material components that were
observed in this case would have been used in dental llings, though the use of rather exotic materials such
as cadmium, gallium, and antimony in llings was not, in principle, unheard-of (Bremer 1969; Krämer
1964). In terms of the ancient Roman medicine, however, it is in fact doubtful that llings were ever used
to treat carious teeth. A text reference to this effect by Martial (c. AD 40-103) »Eximit aut ricit dentem
Cascellius aegrum« (Mart. X, 56, Epigrammata X, 1, 10.53; Schnur 2003: Cascellius extracts or repairs a
painful tooth; literally: »remakes it«) was interpreted as a reference to a »prosthetic« tooth by H. L. Strömgren
(1935), who postulated that recere in this case could be translated as »replace«.
Much like the traces of manganese and iron, rutile, quartz, and goethite could, in principle, also have
derived from the human remains coming into contact with the soil in which they were deposited. However,
although this possibility cannot be excluded, it is not very likely because eforescences are rarely found in
387Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 49 · 2019
the dental enamel of archaeological skeletal nds. The value ranges identied by means of the FTIR analysis
eliminated the presence of foreign substances almost completely, and this included the use of possible bind-
ers, though it must be borne in mind that the latter may have evaporated over time. Overall, the evidence
strictly speaking only allows us to state that there was either no »dental lling« or that the »lling« itself
consisted of human or animal tooth or bone material.
Although there was no such thing as a dental lling in the modern sense of a dental restoration treatment
before the early modern period, ancient literature (Pliny [AD 23-79], Naturalis Historia) does include men-
tions of »lling materials« in a Graeco-Roman context. In a medical-historical treatise on »Pliny and den-
tistry. Textual references in the Naturalis Historia«, Ch. Freitag (1994, 114) describes »a series of remedies
[...] as ›llers in hollow teeth‹«. The ancient Greeks and Romans did practice some form of dental hygiene
involving mouth washes and toothpastes, at least amongst the upper echelons of the society, and used a
pumice stone and the shells of oysters or eggs as well as a bone meal to clean their teeth (Burrell 1999). In
recent times, various forms of the bone meal have once again been more widely used in bone tissue repairs
or bone regeneration and as additives in the toothpaste (Vajrabhaya et al. 2016; Venkatesan et al. 2018). It
is therefore perfectly feasible that it could also have been used in the case of our possible »dental lling«,
but this could probably only be proved by way of molecular genetics, i. e. by means of aDNA analyses. Both
animal and human tooth or bone meal would have to be considered since the teeth of dead animals and
humans have been used since Antiquity as tooth replacements (Alt 2011). Oyster and egg shells are car-
bon-based and could therefore be clearly distinguished from dental apatite. However, it was not possible,
for the reasons outlined above, to eliminate the use of tooth or bone meal. It is worth noting that the FTIR
spectra did not yield any evidence of a binder. It is not very likely that a potential binder dissolved completely
because this would have led to the tooth or bone meal to lose its cohesion. Even a minimal amount of
binder is necessary to ensure material cohesion. It is possible, however, that the context is of such a high
complexity from a chemical and mechanical point of view that even the use of extensive technological pro-
cedures did not allow us to completely solve this particular conundrum.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Ursula Baumer (Doerner Institut,
Munich) for the information on possible organic binders, Dr. Rainer
Petschick (Institut für Geowissenschaften, Goethe-Universiät Frank-
furt) for carrying out the X-ray powder diffraction analysis, as well
as Bernd Höppner and Sigrid Klaus (Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum
Archäometrie gGmbH, Mannheim) for preparing the samples and
carrying out the strontium isotope analyses, and Susanne Lindauer,
Robin van Gyseghem and Bernd Kromer (Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum
Archäometrie gGmbH, Mannheim) for the radiocarbon dating. –
A special thank you goes to Prof. Dr. Werner Götz (Rheinische
Fried rich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Poliklinik für Kieferorthopädie)
for his contribution to the scientic discussion on the results, Sandy
Hämmerle (prehistrans.com) for her assistance in translating the
manuscript and to Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Adler (Landesdenkmalamt
Saarland, Schiffweiler) for funding the study and the manuscript’s
preparation.
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390 N. Nicklisch et al. · A Roman-period Dental Filling Made of a Hard Tissue Compound?
Zusammenfassung / Summary / Résumé
Eine römerzeitliche Zahnfüllung aus Hartgewebe-Komposit?
Bioarchäologische und medizinhistorische Untersuchungen an einer römerzeitlichen Bestattung
aus Oberleuken-Perl (Lkr. Merzig-Wadern / D)
In der Nähe des Archäologieparks Römische Villa Borg bei Oberleuken-Perl im Saarland wurden 2001 die beigabenlosen
Skelettreste eines Menschen aufgefunden. Nach Radiokarbondaten gehört der Befund in das 1. Jahrhundert n. Chr. Die
osteologische Untersuchung ergab, dass es sich um das Skelett eines adulten Mannes handelt. An den Knochen fanden
sich weder Spuren von Verletzungen noch Anzeichen schwerer Erkrankungen und somit auch keine Hinweise auf
diemögliche Todesursache. Während die Kohlenstoff- und Stickstoff-Isotopenverhältnisse ein orts- und zeittypisches
Nahrungs spektrum anzeigen, sprechen die Ergebnisse der Strontium-Isotopenanalyse zumindest für eine Ortsfremdheit
in Kindheit und Jugend. Die Zahnkrone des zweiten Molaren im linken Unterkiefer zeigt im mesialen Kontaktbereich
einen Hartgewebsdefekt auf, der Ähnlichkeiten mit einer Zahnfüllung aufweist. Um festzustellen, ob es sich tatsächlich
um eine Zahnfüllung handelt, und um Aufschluss über die Art und Zusammensetzung des Füllmaterials zu erhalten,
wurden bildgebende und materialanalytische Untersuchungen durchgeführt. Als Hauptbestandteile des »Füllungs-
materials« wurden Hydroxylapatit, Rutil, Quarz und Goethit identiziert, es fehlen jedoch Hinweise auf ein Bindemittel.
Da zermahlener Knochen und Zähne seit der Antike vielfältig eingesetzt wurden, wäre eine Benutzung als »Füllungs-
material« im vorliegenden Fall denkbar.
A Roman-period Dental Filling Made of a Hard Tissue Compound?
Bioarchaeological and Medical-historical Investigations Carried out on a Roman-period Burial
from Oberleuken-Perl (Lkr. Merzig-Wadern / D)
The skeletal remains of an individual were found in 2001 in the vicinity of the Roman open-air museum at »Villa Borg«
near Oberleuken-Perl, Saarland. Radiocarbon analysis dated the feature to the 1st century AD. No belongings or grave
goods were found. The osteological examination showed that the skeletal remains were those of an adult male. The
bones bore no evidence of injury or disease, which meant that it was not possible to determine the cause of death.
Whilst the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were consistent with the local dietary range in the Roman period, the
results of the strontium isotope analysis suggested that the individual had spent his childhood and adolescence else-
where. The second molar of the left mandible exhibited a defect or cavity which contained a substance resembling
lling material. Imaging techniques and material analyses were used to determine whether this was indeed a dental
lling and to obtain information about the nature and composition of the material used. Hydroxyapatite, rutile, quartz
and goethite were identied as the main components, though there was no evidence of a binder. Since crushed bone
and teeth have been widely used for various purposes since Antiquity, it is conceivable that the substance analysed was
a »lling«.
Une obturation dentaire romaine en composite de tissu dur?
Recherches bioarchéologiques et médico-historiques effectuées sur une sépulture d’époque romaine
à Oberleuken-Perl (Lkr. Merzig-Wadern / D)
Près du musée en plein air de la »Villa Borg« romaine près d’Oberleuken-Perl en Sarre, les restes osseux d’une personne
sans sépulture ont été retrouvés en 2001. Selon les données radio carbone, le squelette appartient au 1er siècle apr. J.-C.
L’examen ostéologique a révélé qu’il s’agissait d’un homme adulte. Il n’y avait aucune trace de blessures ou de signes
de maladies graves sur les os et donc aucune indication de la cause possible de la mort. Bien que les rapports iso-
topiques du carbone et de l’azote indiquent un spectre alimentaire local typique pour la période, les résultats de l’ana-
lyse des isotopes du strontium indiquent a minima un déplacement durant l’enfance et l’adolescence. La couronne de
la deuxième molaire de la mâchoire inférieure gauche présente un défaut tissulaire dur dans la zone de contact mésiale
qui est similaire à une obturation dentaire. Des examens d’imagerie et d’analyse des matériaux ont été effectués pour
déterminer si l’obturation était réellement une obturation dentaire et pour obtenir des informations sur le type et la
composition du matériau d’obturation. L’hydroxyapatite, le rutile, le quartz et la goethite ont été identiés comme étant
les principaux composants du »matériau de remplissage«, mais aucun liant n’a été trouvé. Étant donné que les os et les
dents broyés ont été utilisés de différentes manières depuis l’Antiquité, leur utilisation comme »matériau d’obturation«
serait envisageable dans le cas présent. Traduction: L. Bernard
391Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 49 · 2019
Schlüsselwörter / Keywords / Mots clés
Saarland / Römische Kaiserzeit / Bioarchäologie / Zahnbehandlung / Zahnfüllung
Saarland / Roman Imperial period / bioarchaeology / dental treatment / dental lling
Sarre / Romain impérial / bioarchéologie / traitement dentaire / remplissage de dents
Nicole Nicklisch
Danube Private University
Steiner Landstr. 124
A - 3500 Krems-Stein
nicole.nicklisch@dp-uni.ac.at
and
Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt
Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte
Richard-Wagner-Str. 9
D - 06114 Halle / Saale
Corina Knipper
Roland Schwab
Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Archäometrie gGmbH
D6, 3
D - 68159 Mannheim
corina.knipper@ceza-archaeometrie.de
roland.schwab@cez-archaeometrie.de
Olaf Nehlich
University of British Columbia
Department of Anthropology
Vancouver Campus
6303 NW Marine Drive
CA - V6T 1Z1 Vancouver, BC
olaf@nehlich.com
Petra Held
Anne Roßbach
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Institut für Anthropologie
Anselm-Franz-von-Bentzel-Weg 7
D - 55128 Mainz
held.petra@gmx.net
a-rossbach@web.de
Sabine Klein
Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum
Am Bergbaumuseum 28
D - 44791 Bochum
sabine.klein@bergbaumuseum.de
Tobias Häger
Martin Wolf
Frieder Enzmann
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Institut für Geowissenschaften
J.-J.-Becher-Weg 21
D - 55128 Mainz
haeger@uni-mainz.de
martin.h.wolf@hotmail.com
enzmann@uni-mainz.de
Bettina Birkenhagen
Archäologiepark Römische Villa Borg
Im Meeswald 1
D - 66706 Perl-Borg
b.birkenhagen@villa-borg.de
Kurt W. Alt
Danube Private University
Steiner Landstr. 124
A - 3500 Krems-Stein
kurt.alt@dp-uni.ac.at
and
Landesamt für Denkmalpege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt
Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte
Richard-Wagner-Str. 9
D - 06114 Halle / Saale
and
Universität Basel
Integrative Prähistorische und Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie
Spalenring 145
CH - 4055 Basel
INHALTSVERZEICHNIS
Sebastian J. Pfeifer, Organische Projektile in Magdalénienstationen der Schweiz.
Beitrag einer Artefaktgattung zur zeitlichen Gliederung der archäostratigraschen Einheit ....305
Ondřej Chvojka, Martin Kuna, Roman Křivánek, Petr Menšík, Tereza Šálková,
Weaving Looms, Intentional Demolitions, Burnt Offerings? Trenchlike Features
of the Urneld Period in Central Europe ..........................................321
Peter van den Broeke, Ineke Joosten, Bertil van Os, Peter Schrijver, An Early Iron Age
Miniature Cup with Script-like Signs from Nijmegen-Lent (prov. Gelderland / NL) ............341
Przemysław Dulęba, Ewa Lisowska, Jacek Soida, The Beginning of the Use
of Quartz-sericite Schist Whetstones in Silesia in the Light of New Discoveries
from La Tène Culture Settlements ...............................................353
Nicole Nicklisch, Corina Knipper, Olaf Nehlich, Petra Held, Anne Roßbach, Sabine Klein,
Roland Schwab, Tobias Häger, Martin Wolf, Frieder Enzmann, Bettina Birkenhagen,
Kurt W. Alt, A Roman-period Dental Filling Made of a Hard Tissue Compound?
Bioarchaeological and Medical-historical Investigations Carried out on a Roman-period Burial
from Oberleuken-Perl (Lkr. Merzig-Wadern / D) .....................................371
Gerald Grabherr, Barbara Kainrath, Zinn- und Bleivotive aus dem römerzeitlichen Heiligtum
auf dem Klosterfrauenbichl in Lienz in Osttirol ......................................393
Michelle Beghelli, Joan Pinar Gil, Cast Bronze Vessels in the 6th-9th Centuries.
Production Centres, Circulation and Use in Ecclesiastical and Secular Contexts .............413
Yasmin Dannath, Sarah Nelly Friedland, Wiebke Kirleis, Ritus, Rausch und Randerscheinungen.
Die Panzenreste der spätslawischen Inselburg Olsborg
im Großen Plöner See (Schleswig-Holstein) ........................................443
ISSN 0342-734X
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