Abstract: The idea that 6000 BP inhabitants in southern China made their living mostly by fishing, hunting and gathering, with planting roots and tubers as supplement has been widely accepted. This type of subsistence strategy was different from that that occurred in the middle and lower valley of Yangtze River and in northern China. The differences were not only presented in the remains of animals, plants, and tools excavated from archaeological sites, but also expressed by physical features of unearthed human bones. The latter evidence was analyzed using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. Using teeth uncovered from the Liyudun site, we attempted to exam the differences mentioned above on tooth wear and caries.

Key words: Liyudun; Tooth; Tooth wear; Caries; Diets; Subsistence