Re: Smiling Vinkings


"Eric Stevens" <eric.stevens@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:64v7v15nimpjbd8su43ojokmb7ssgtuaic@xxxxxxxxxx
On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 18:42:36 +0100, "Peter Alaca" <P.Alaca@xxxxxx>
wrote:

.
With thanks to David Meadows' Explorator 8.37:

_ What a Viking's smile revealed_
From issue 2533 of New Scientist magazine, 07
January 2006, page 14

VIKING warriors may have filed deep grooves into
their teeth to indicate class or military rank.

Caroline Arcini of Sweden's National Heritage Board
analysed 557 skeletons from four major Viking-age
Swedish cemeteries and discovered that around 10
per cent of men, but none of the women, bore
horizontal grooves across the upper front teeth.

The marks, which were cut deep into the enamel,
are often found in pairs or triplets and appear
precisely made. They might have marked certain
men as members of a group of tradesmen or
warriors, or signified their ability to withstand pain,
says Arcini, who published her findings in the
American Journal of Physical Anthropology (DOI:
10.1002/ajpa.20164). Most of the men bearing the
grooves were young, but in the absence of any
distinctive injuries or artefacts buried with the
skeletons, the exact reason for the marks remains
a mystery.

This is the first known case of tooth filing in Europe,
but it was common practice in the Americas
between AD 800 and 1050. Since the skeletons
date from around the same time, this raises the
possibility that the Vikings picked up the practice
during their travels. Arcini hopes future finds will
reveal where the practice arose and how it spread.

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg18925335.100

It's now more than a month since Peter posted this and virtually all
of the subsequent discussion has centered around lutefisk. :-(

Now I have come across
www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1947633672;fp;4;fpid;18 the
following partial quote from which adds a little more detail.

Yes, but the detail it adds appears to have to do with mobile phones that
are alleged to infringe certain patents. Do you have a better link for your
quoted material??


"Tooth filing was widespread among Indian tribes in America at the
time, but Arcini's discovery is the first indication it was also
used among medieval Europeans.

Although researchers believe the Vikings were the first Europeans
to reach America in the 11th century, Arcini said her discoveries
don't necessarily mean the two cultures exchanged ideas on
dentistry.

"It is probably just a coincidence," she said. "Things pop up in
different places in the world without there necessarily having
been any contact."

The Vikings entered recorded history in the late eighth century,
when they set out in their long ships to raid the coasts of
northern Europe. Starting out as minor expeditions by adventurous
chieftains, the raids eventually escalated into full-scale
invasions in England and northern France led by Norwegian and
Danish kings and earls.

Swedish Vikings headed east, crossing the Baltic Sea and sailing
up the rivers of Russia and reaching as far as Constantinople.

Arcini's study, first published in the American Journal of
Physical Anthropology, found horizontal grooves across the upper
front teeth of 24 men in 557 skeletal remains of men and women at
four grave sites."

The grooves, often in pairs or triplets, were too carefully made to
be the result of chance, she said. "

Certainly this could be a case of independent invention but it is
stretching credibility to say that the Vikings invented tooth filing
independently of the native Americans,

How typical of you, Eric. Why is it stretching credibility to say that two
different cultures independently invented tooth filing?

even when we have evidence that
the Vikings were in contact with America at the time that it was
practiced in that country.

Have you any evidence that Vikings were ever in contact with Native
Americans who practiced tooth filing?

Thought not ...


As is pointed out in the article, the Vikings were wide ranging and it
is possible that they could have acquired the habit from elsewhere.
However the opening paragraph I have quoted states "... Arcini's
discovery is the first indication it was also used among medieval
Europeans." What I would also like to know is whether or not there is
any evidence of similar tooth filing practices anywhere in Europe or
Asia.

Apart from that, I would really like to know from our experts on the
subject of native Americans what is known of the tooth-filing
practices of native Americans, who practiced it (and where were they),
what patterns did they use and why did they do it? (tk this question
is surely made for you :-).




Eric Stevens

Steve
--
The above posting is neither a legal opinion nor legal advice,
because we do not have an attorney-client relationship, and
should not be construed as either. This posting does not
represent the opinion of my employer, but is merely my personal
view. To reply, delete _spamout_ and replace with the numeral 3


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Smiling Vinkings
    ... This is the first known case of tooth filing in Europe, ... possibility that the Vikings picked up the practice ... Although researchers believe the Vikings were the first Europeans ... Americans who practiced tooth filing? ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Smiling Vinkings
    ... This is the first known case of tooth filing in Europe, ... possibility that the Vikings picked up the practice ... Although researchers believe the Vikings were the first Europeans ... Americans who practiced tooth filing? ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Smiling Vinkings
    ... This is the first known case of tooth filing in Europe, ... possibility that the Vikings picked up the practice ... "Tooth filing was widespread among Indian tribes in America at the ... Although researchers believe the Vikings were the first Europeans ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: It has begun - irrigating the deserts
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  • Re: Smiling Vinkings
    ... >>> Caroline Arcini of Sweden's National Heritage Board ... >>> horizontal grooves across the upper front teeth. ... >>> possibility that the Vikings picked up the practice ... Arcini thinks that is pure chance, that the Vikings did not learn the ...
    (sci.archaeology)