Classic Maya Dental Interventions

Tooth extractions are among the most common dental procedures performed globally today; however, archaeological evidence for such procedures in the past is relatively scant and largely limited to the Classical world. We present a case of therapeutic dental extractions of pathological teeth at the ancient Maya site of Piedras Negras, Guatemala, during the Late Classic period (A.D. 600–800). The evidence comes from an assemblage of fractured, pathological teeth (n = 127) recovered from the marketplace at Piedras Negras during excavations in 2016 and 2017. We compare the Piedras Negras marketplace teeth to the broader Late Classic period mortuary population at the site along three lines of analysis: (1) distribution of teeth by type (incisors, canines, premolars, and molars), (2) pathologies, including dental caries and calculus, and (3) dental wear. We also explore in detail the fracture patterns apparent in the marketplace assemblage. Our results indicate that the marketplace teeth display a significantly greater caries rate than the broader mortuary population and that posterior teeth (premolars and molars) are overrepresented in the marketplace sample. These findings point toward therapeutic extractions intended to ameliorate pain associated with oral pathologies. This article presents one of the fewcase studies of ancient health care in the Americas and situates these practices within the market, an important, urban space across much of precolonial Mesoamerica. Las extracciones dentales se encuentran entre los procedimientos dentales más comunes realizados a nivel mundial en la actualidad. Sin embargo, la evidencia arqueológica para tales procedimientos es relativamente escasa en el pasado y se limita en gran medida al mundo Clásico. En este artículo, se presenta un caso de extracciones dentales terapéuticas de dientes patológicos en el antiguo sitio maya de Piedras Negras, Guatemala, durante el periodo Clásico Tardío (600-800 d.C.). La evidencia de este caso proviene de una colección de dientes patológicos y fracturados (n = 127) recolectados en el mercado de Piedras Negras durante las excavaciones realizadas en los años de 2016 y 2017. Estos dientes fueron comparados con otros dientes recolectados alrededor del sitio en contextos mortuorios del periodo Clásico Tardío a lo largo de tres líneas de análisis: (1) la distribución de los dientes por tipo (incisivos, caninos, premolares y molares), (2) las patologías, incluyendo caries dentales y cálculo y (3) el desgaste dental. Asimismo, se exploró en detalle los patrones de fractura aparentes en la colección del mercado. Los resultados de este análisis indican que los dientes del mercado muestran una tasa de caries significativamente mayor que los dientes recolectados en contextos mortuorios y que los dientes posteriores (premolares y molares) se encuentran sobrerrepresentados en la muestra proveniente del mercado. Estos hallazgos demuestran el uso de extracciones terapéuticas designadas a aliviar el dolor asociado a las patologías bucales. Este artículo presenta uno de los pocos estudios de caso de atención médica en el pasado en las Américas y sitúa estas prácticas dentro del mercado, un importante espacio urbano que se encuentra a través de la Mesoamérica precolombina.

Looking from the future

The World is changing. Science is changing, gaining more insights and discovering, systematically, some “new” ideas that are actually ancient. Health is changing by the occurrence of a pandemic, by raising anxiety and fear, and by reorganizing the importance of diseases. Education is changing from onsite relation to online classes, in which the teacher is not anymore the pillar of the class, but the laptop is. Actually, the entire human society is changing, while the entire natural world mechanisms remain the same.

IMPORTANCE OF UPYANTRA IN SHALYA CHIKITSA

Ayurveda is considered as one of the best health science of ancient era. There are 8 branches of Ayureveda and Shalya chikitisa is the most important branch of Ayurveda due to its quick action (Ashukrye –Karnat). Shalya Chikitisa includes different surgical and para surgical technique which can be moulded depending upon the Immunity of Patients. Today in modern scenario, where advance Science & technology is going to its highest peak & medical Science is becoming emphasis on knowledge of Upyantra seems quite obsolete. Sometime the situation arise when we don’t have proper medical facility during natural calamities where giving medical faculty to every person in not possible. To combat such disastrous situation the knowledge of accessory medical equipment is very important so, that we can survive. Acharya Sushrut is considered “Father of Surgery” who know how to overcome such situation with his unique power of thinking when situation is opposite for survival. Acharya Dalhan, Acharaya Vagbatta, Achary Sushrut had explained different Yantra and Upyantra which can be used according to the patients immunity. In modern surgery there is no treatment option. They make patient to fit the available treatment but in ancient health science i.e., in Ayurved there are different way of treating patients depending upon their nature of body. Various types of Yantras used in Shalya Chikitsa includes Swastik Yantra, Taal Yantra samdansha Yantra, Shalaka Yantra, Naadia Yantra and Upayantra. These instruments place an at most role in the success of Shalya Chikitisa and without them the practical work of concept of Shalya Chikitisa cannot be made.

Folk Beliefs and Ancient Health Care about Pregnancy in Thai Tradition

The purpose of this article is to study folk beliefs and ancient health care relating to pregnancy in Thai culture. The methods of study include document study and observation. The study results point out that folk beliefs and ancient health care relating to pregnancy in Thai tradition can be divided into two periods, namely pregnancy period and post pregnancy period. However, the folk beliefs relating to pregnancy connect with healthcare methods and the prevention of the potential risk to mothers and their babies. Without the western medical technology, the ancient health care has focused on the care covering and connecting between bodies and souls, which could be seen in the forms of various prohibition and practical guidelines.

Kakanasa (Martynia diandra, Glox.) – An Ayurvedic Review

Ayurveda is the most ancient health care System. The textual legacy started with Bruhat Samhita was completed in 4th century. After that, texts were written in the form of Nighantus which explained the dravyas, base of any treatment, in detail. Ancient Acharyas never limited the number of Dravyas as Acharya Charaka says- ‘Nothing in this world is devoid of medicinal properties’. More than 3000 plants had discussed in the Ayurveda in Sanskrit texts. Out of them some plants are widely used by clinicians today in their day to day practice. Eg. Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris) in urinary tract diseases. Amalaki (Phyllanthus emblica) in Acidity. Mushali (Chlorophytum borivilianum) in Azoospermia Shunthi (Zingiber officinale) in Digestive problems etc. On the other hand there are still some plants which are not yet more focused; but used by very few people in some conditions. Kakanasa (Martynia diandra, Glox.) is one of them. It is an annual herb, can be seen throughout the country, generally occupying rubbish heaps and waste places.

Minding the Gaps: A Methodological Approach to Inter-Individual Variability in Skeletal Completion

In order to ensure sufficient sample sizes, bioarchaelogical studies of individual health in prehistory must often rely on assemblages that demonstrate high inter-individual variability in skeletal completion. Determining whether higher insult frequencies in particular individuals result from their greater skeletal preservation is a key step in understanding ancient health and disease. This study uses a simple new z-score residual approach to control for inter-individual differences in skeletal completion while comparing multiple variables. To test this method, a sex- and age-balanced sample of 85 adult individuals was selected from five Middle and Late Woodland sites in Illinois: Helton (11GE540), Gibson (11C5), Ledders (11C132), Ray (11BR104,) and Carter (11GE624). Data on the frequency of nine different health indicators were collected, and statistically significant period- or sex-based differences in osteoarthritis, alveolar resorption, and hypoplasias were observed, illustrating the utility of this approach for bioarchaeologists concerned with the effects of skeletal completion on assessments of prehistoric health.