Two human lateral mandibular incisors exhibiting exceptional dental wear in the form of lingual surface grooves along the cementoenamel junction were recovered from the superficial levels of a pit grave attributed to the Bronze Age at the archaeological site of Monte do Vale do Ouro 2 (Ferreira do Alentejo, Beja, Portugal). Although a number of analyses of dental wear features acknowledge the relatively common use of the dentition for nondietary purposes (using the ‘teeth as tools’) during the Early/Middle Bronze Age (2200–1200 BC) of southwest Iberia, the form of dental wear documented at Monte do Vale do Ouro 2 is not only a novel finding in this region but also has seldom been described in any bioarchaeological context. The present study provides a macroscopic and low‐magnification description of the atypical dental wear for this individual. Results indicate that the incisors are likely antimeres. In addition to the deep lingual grooves, asymmetrical wear removed a substantial portion of the laterolingual crown volume of each tooth. Occlusal and lingual surface wear accumulated slowly enough for tertiary dentin to form. An occlusal groove is also present on the right I₂. A review of ethnohistoric and bioarchaeological literature suggests that some form of craft production involving the manipulation of cordage or fibre with the mouth and teeth can account for the unique wear patterns from Monte do Vale do Ouro 2. The hand‐spinning of flax requires wetting which can be accomplished by passing flax fibres through the mouth in a mediolateral direction while using a hand spindle. Similar habitual behaviours were probably practiced by the Bronze Age individual from Monte do Vale do Ouro 2. The wear grooves represent the embodiment of aspects of craft production and maintenance activities that occurred during this individual's lifecourse.

中文翻译：

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葡萄牙青铜时代工艺生产的体现：来自蒙特·杜·维尔·杜·欧鲁2（葡萄牙费雷拉·杜阿连特茹）的个人的出色牙齿磨损槽

在蒙特·杜瓦雷·杜·欧鲁2考古遗址的青铜时代，从一个青铜时代的坑坑的表层发现了两个人类下颌切牙，它们沿牙骨质釉质交界处的舌表面沟槽形式表现出异常的牙齿磨损。 （葡萄牙贝贾）。尽管对牙齿磨损特征的许多分析表明，在伊比利亚西南部青铜器早期/中期青铜时代（公元前2200-1200年）期间，牙列用于非饮食目的（使用“牙齿作为工具”）相对普遍， Monte do Vale do Ouro 2记录的服装不仅是该地区的新发现，而且在任何生物考古学背景下都鲜有记载。本研究提供了针对该个体的非典型牙齿磨损的宏观和低倍放大描述。结果表明，门牙很可能是antimeres。除了较深的舌沟外，不对称磨损还消除了每个牙齿的舌后冠体积的很大一部分。咬合面和舌面的磨损积累得足够缓慢，足以形成第三次牙本质。我右侧也有一个咬合槽₂。一份民族历史和生物考古文献的回顾表明，某种形式的手工艺品生产，包括用嘴和牙齿操纵绳索或纤维，可以解释Monte do Vale do Ouro 2的独特磨损方式。可以通过使用手纺锤使亚麻纤维沿中外侧方向通过嘴部来实现。来自Monte do Vale do Ouro 2的青铜时代个体可能采取了类似的习惯行为。磨损槽代表了该个体一生中发生的手工艺品生产和维护活动的各个方面。