A molar tooth, dating back 60,000 years and unearthed from a cavern in what is now Russia, exhibits a profound cavity that defies explanation solely by natural deterioration.
This recovered fossil represents a lower left jaw molar belonging to a Neanderthal, an ancestral hominin species now extinct and closely related to modern humans.
It is highly probable that this ancient individual suffered from a severe dental infection that persisted for an extended period.
In an era where securing sustenance presented considerable challenges and rudimentary methods for pain alleviation were nascent, a toothache debilitating enough to impede eating could readily precipitate a life-threatening predicament.
Presumably, the discomfort associated with this affliction must have escalated to such an intolerable degree for this Neanderthal that they resolved to undertake extraordinary measures to find relief.
According to a consortium of researchers hailing from various institutions across Russia, it is posited that the afflicted individual possibly resorted to performing a primitive form of endodontic therapy: employing a sharpened lithic implement to perforate the tooth and excise the compromised pulp (or, more disconcertingly, soliciting assistance from a companion – a grim prospect).
Should the scientific team’s interpretation prove accurate, it would indicate that Neanderthals possessed a degree of rudimentary dental expertise. They may have possessed the understanding that an infected tooth could potentially be preserved by removing the diseased pulp, leaving the remainder intact.
Furthermore, the researchers assert in their publication that this particular tooth “currently signifies the most ancient documented instance of deliberate dental intervention.” Prior to this revelation, such a distinction was attributed to *Homo sapiens*.
“Our initial assessment upon observing the specimen was that it likely represented a tooth root from which the crown had naturally fractured,” archaeologist Kseniya Kolobova, associated with the Russian Academy of Sciences, conveyed to ScienceAlert.
However, Alisa Zubova, an anthropologist on the research team specializing in dental anatomy, remained unconvinced by this hypothesis as an explanation for the anomaly in the cavity’s configuration.
Upon closer microscopic examination of the tooth’s surface, the investigative group identified “distinct linear striations characteristic of a rotational, drilling action,” Kolobova clarified.
“We also ascertained that the cavity is, in fact, comprised of three interconnected indentations,” she elaborated.
“Such a formation could no longer be attributed to pathological processes or accidental damage. This demonstrated deliberate, hands-on manipulation.”
Naturally, Neanderthals lacked the sophisticated, motorized dental instruments of contemporary times, not to mention modern anesthetic agents.
It is far more probable that they utilized the available resources within their environment.
In this specific instance, the research team posits that a very fine, acute fragment of jasperoid, a lithic material readily sourced from their surroundings, was employed.
Evidence indicates that Neanderthal populations inhabiting this geographical region of Russia were proficiently shaping jasperoid to fabricate other implements during that epoch, and several such artifacts have been discovered within Chagyrskaya Cave, the very locale where the molar was unearthed.
“They fashioned intricate, asymmetrical bifacial knives, scrapers, and these diminutive retouched points. The requisite fine motor skills and technical acumen were demonstrably present,” Kolobova explained.
“Consequently, it is improbable that they spontaneously conceived of a novel surgical technique upon encountering a decayed, painful tooth. Instead, it is more likely that they adapted an existing tool design for an unprecedented, highly specialized application.”
To validate that such an implement was capable of performing the task, the research cohort undertook experimental replication of Neanderthal dental procedures.
While they achieved some degree of success in perforating ancient teeth sourced from anthropological collections, the Neanderthal-inspired implements proved most effective when utilized on a wisdom tooth that had been recently extracted from the mouth of their colleague, traceologist Lydia Zotkina.
“Lydia’s extracted tooth… provided the closest approximation we could achieve to the fresh, moist state of a Neanderthal tooth still situated within an individual’s mandible,” Kolobova remarked.
“She proceeded to drill her own tooth using a replica of a Neanderthal stone tool. Within our laboratory, we humorously refer to it as: ‘The most personal contribution to the project’.”
Although several teeth sustained damage from the abrasive tips of the jasperoid components, the researchers were able to replicate the patterns observed in the Neanderthal molar by employing a gentle, deliberate rotational motion with the stone.
While this therapeutic approach is unlikely to be adopted in modern practice, it is remarkable that prehistoric hominins were experimenting with such a “sophisticated” methodology at such an early juncture.
This groundbreaking discovery contributes to the accumulating body of evidence suggesting that Neanderthals possessed a cultural complexity that far surpasses earlier characterizations of them as merely brutish cave dwellers: they interred their deceased, adorned cavern walls, exhibited a capacity for community care, and potentially engaged in rudimentary medical practices.
Furthermore, it appears that when they experienced dental distress, they were willing to endure significant, albeit short-lived, discomfort if it promised a more favorable long-term outcome.
“They conceptually transposed an extant technological application into an entirely novel domain,” Kolobova further commented.
“This demonstrates an exceptional degree of cognitive adaptability.”
The findings of this investigation have been formally published in PLOS One.
