Overview
- Researchers analyzed 30 teeth from 10 individuals recovered at the Etruscan site of Pontecagnano, dating to the 7th–6th centuries BCE.
- Enamel growth features recorded two recurring early-childhood stress episodes at about one year and around four years of age.
- The authors interpret the first peak as linked to weaning, with the later peak reflecting increasing childhood autonomy and community exposure.
- Dental calculus preserved evidence of cereals, legumes, abundant carbohydrates, and fermented foods such as bread, wine, or beer.
- The study provides the first histological data for this community as a proof-of-concept, with the small sample not intended to represent the wider region and with future isotopic work proposed.