Everyone get your thinking caps out, à la this classic story arc…

because this is a tough one.

Last week I stumbled upon something particularly interesting in my dissertation data set. At first I didn’t realize what it was, since the element hadn’t yet been completely cleaned. Then, after a few minutes with a dental pick and toothbrush, I sat staring at it and scratching my head, rotating it back and forth and peering at it from every angle, before finally running excitedly to share my discovery with Carmen, the colleague I’m sharing lab space with.

I’m 90% certain I’ve got it figured it out. However, I’m curious to see how many other people share my conclusions. Have a go at this in the comments, especially if you have training in osteology or dental anthropology – any input is than welcome!

Quiz structure is pretty much par for the course:

1. Human/Non-Human;

2. Permanent/Deciduous;

3. Tooth category (Incisor, Canine, Premolar, Molar);

4. Upper or lower;

5. Location in arch (e.g. 1, 2, 3 or 4);

6. Side.

All photos are shown with a 3cm scale. I’ve also rotated some of the photos so as to bias your interpretation as little as possible. Good luck!

Buccal/Labial View

Lingual View

Mesial/Distal View 1

Mesial/Distal View 2

Superior/Inferior View 1

Superior/Inferior View 2

Image Credits: Calvin and Hobbes strip created by Bill Watterson, first strip found posted online here, second strip posted here. All other photos taken at the Museo de Jaén in summer 2014.

ANSWERS BELOW THE JUMP

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