By

G. Richard Scott Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and is currently Associate Professor and Chair of Anthropology at the University of Nevada, Reno
Joel D. Irish a Professor and Chair of the Anthropology Department, University of Alaska, Fairbanks

Researchers have long had an interest in dental morphology as a genetic proxy to reconstruct population history. Much interest was fostered by the use of standard plaques and associated descriptions that comprise the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System, developed by Christy G. Turner, II and students. This system has served as the foundation for hundreds of anthropological studies for over 30 years. In recognition of that success, this volume brings together some of the world’s leading dental morphologists to expand upon the concepts and methods presented in the popular The Anthropology of Modern Human Teeth (Cambridge University Press, 1997), leading the reader from method to applied research. After a preparatory section on the current knowledge of heritability and gene expression, a series of case studies demonstrate the utility of dental morphological study in both fossil and more recent populations (and individuals), from local to global scales.

Chapters cover work on individuals to samples, ranging from prehistoric to modern times, providing a broad and diverse view of dental morphology
Reader-friendly approach allows researchers to use the described methods in their own work
Describes cutting-edge techniques in dental morphology, bringing readers right up to date on current methods