Neanderthal dental care could be surprisingly sophisticated, according to a recent study led by scientists at the Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg.
The study analysed a molar from 59,000 years ago, found in Chagyrskaya Cave, Russia, with a deep hole in its centre.
The archaeologists believe the tooth was deliberately drilled into with a sharp tool, to treat an infection and alleviate pain.
This is the earliest known evidence of dentistry by more than 40,000 years – superseding an example from approximately 14,000 years ago, found in Italy – as well as the first example of dental work by a species other than Homo sapiens.
“What amazed me was how intuitively the person who owned this tooth understood exactly where the pain was coming from and realised that its source could be removed,” said lead author Dr Aliza Zubova, from the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
“We have never encountered anything like this before – neither among Neanderthals nor among modern humans from much later periods.”
To understand exactly what happened to this tooth, the archaeologists took very detailed X-rays of it using a technique known as microtomography. They found that the tooth had microscopic grooves on its surface.
Then, they conducted a series of experiments on modern human teeth in which they tried to replicate the same hole and markings with techniques that might have been available to Neanderthals.
Senior author Dr Kseniya Kolobova, from the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy, said these experiments demonstrated the technical sophistication of the procedure, drilling deep into the tooth to remove decayed tissue.
“Keep in mind we could not fully recreate the actual conditions,” she said. “In real life, the tooth was in the mouth, and inflammation and swelling would have created additional difficulties, clearly making the situation even more complex.”
She added that the mouth is “a difficult space to work in,” requiring “good manual dexterity, patience, and a helper who can hold the head still.”
All this was performed without anaesthetic. So, the patient would have been in pain, but the archaeologists believe the procedure would have effectively alleviated toothache.
Second author Dr Lydia Zotkina said, of the patient: “What struck me, and continues to strike me, is what an incredibly strong-willed person this Neanderthal must have been.
“To me, this is a stunning example of how archaeological evidence can allow us not just to glimpse a single aspect of past people’s lives, but to actually understand what these individuals were like – strong and resilient. Now, every time I go to the dentist, I think about that guy.”
For Zubova, this study adds to growing research indicating that Neanderthals routinely cared for each other.
“Because Neanderthals were long viewed as a more primitive branch of the human family, care for community members during the Middle Palaeolithic has been regarded as something exceptional,” she said.
“But as the evidence mounts, it increasingly suggests that Neanderthals treated their sick and weak no differently than modern humans did.”
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