Dental modification, present in 36% of the adult burial sample (N =
61) dating to the Postclassic period at Lamanai, Belize, was analyzed to
determine its association with status and sex using both biological
dietary indicators (stable-isotope and dental-pathology data) and
archaeological indicators (grave location and architecture). There was no
association between diet and modification. Males and females shared many
of the same modification types, but some were sex-distinctive. The
frequency of modification differed by archaeological context. For example,
modification was present only in individuals buried in ceremonial
structures, presumed to represent high status. Types of modification
differed between Belizean sites and those from other regions. These data
support the hypothesis that dental modification may have been a means of
identification with a lineage, polity, ruler, or region.