Neanderthal molar from Siberia points to possible dental treatment 59,000 years ago

A damaged Neanderthal tooth from Siberia may contain the earliest known evidence of dental treatment, according to a study published in PLOS One. Researchers examined a lower molar recovered from Chagyrskaya Cave in the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia. The tooth, labelled Chagyrskaya 64, belonged to an adult Neanderthal who lived roughly 59,000 years ago.

Neanderthal molar from Siberia points to possible dental treatment 59,000 years ago. A damaged Neanderthal tooth from Siberia may contain the earliest known evidence of dental treatment, according to a study published in PLOS One. Researchers examined a lower molar recovered from Chagyrskaya Cave in the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia. The tooth, labelled Chagyrskaya 64, belonged to an adult Neanderthal who lived roughly 59,000 years ago. What caught the attention of researchers was a large cavity cut deep into the chewing surface of the molar. After analysing the tooth under microscopes and carrying out CT scans and drilling experiments, the team concluded the hole was probably made deliberately using a sharp stone tool. The cavity reaches into the pulp chamber and contains a series of grooves and microscopic scratches that the resea...