Infantes anodontes: A particular group of individuals from the Basel-Gasfabrik late La Tène site

The Late La Tène site of Basel-Gasfabrik, Canton of Basel-Stadt (Switzerland), has yielded numerous human skeletal remains both from two cemeteries and the settlement itself. A group of infants, all of whom were discovered in settlement features, lack all teeth. Anodontia represents a very rare anomaly (frequency <0.01 %) that may be caused by genetic or environmental factors (pathogens, noxious substances). Neither the osteological nor subsequent archaeometric analysis (aDNA, NAA) shed any light on the conspicuous occurrence of anodontia among the infants. Valid insights on the observed phenomenon can only be achieved by a multidisciplinary integrative approach.