Gender identities in the prehistoric societies of south-eastern Iberia: New insights from non-masticatory dental wear analysis and peptide-based sex identification

Abstract

Anthropological skeletal remains provide access to the embodied dimensions of daily life, allowing the exploration of how gender was shaped through culturally specific practices. Non-masticatory dental wear has recently emerged as a valuable proxy for identifying craft-related activities and their potential association with gendered roles. The aim of this study is to explore gender identities through non-masticatory dental wear analysis and the chromosomal sex estimation of 16 teeth from the megalithic the cemeteries of Panoría and Los Milanes. As a result, three main aspects can be highlighted: i) dental marks reveal a standardised pattern of grooves, polished enamel and microstriations produced by textile activities; ii) all individuals with these marks were identified as females and iii) this pattern appears widespread and persistent across different social groups and throughout time from the Late Neolithic to the Copper Age (ca. 3600-2200 cal BC). Notably, this gendered extra-masticatory dental wear pattern remained basically unchanged during the Bronze Age, which emphasises the deep-rooted nature of gender identities. This research reveals the potential of combining proteomic and atypical dental wear analyses to refine interpretations of gendered practices in prehistoric societies.