[proxy] www.nature.com — ← back | site home | direct (HTTPS) ↗ | proxy home | ◑ dark◐ light

Early Neolithic tradition of dentistry

Macchiarelli, R.

  • Brief Communication
  • Published:

Palaeontology

Nature volume 440, pages 755–756 (2006)Cite this article

Flint tips were surprisingly effective for drilling tooth enamel in a prehistoric population.

Abstract

Prehistoric evidence for the drilling of human teeth in vivo has so far been limited to isolated cases from less than six millennia ago1,2,3. Here we describe eleven drilled molar crowns from nine adults discovered in a Neolithic graveyard in Pakistan that dates from 7,500–9,000 years ago. These findings provide evidence for a long tradition of a type of proto-dentistry in an early farming culture.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Maxillary left second molar from an adult male (MR3 90) from Neolithic Mehrgarh.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bennike, P. & Fredebo, L. Bull. Hist. Dent. 34, 81–87 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Schwartz, J. H., Brauer, J. & Gordon-Larsen, P. Am. J. Phys. Anthrop. 97, 77–85 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. White, T. D., Degusta, D., Richards, G. D. & Baker, S. G. Am. J. Phys. Anthrop. 103, 409–414 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Jarrige, C., Jarrige, J.-F., Meadow, R. H. & Quivron, G. (eds) Mehrgarh Field Reports 1974–1985. From Neolithic Times to Indus Civilization (Department of Culture & Tourism, Karachi, 1995).

  5. Alt, K. W. & Pichler, S. L. in Dental Anthropology (eds Alt, K. W., Rosing, F. W. & Teschler-Nicola, M.) 389–415 (Springer, Vienna, 1998).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  6. Lukacs, J. R. & Mindermann, L. L. in South Asian Archaeology 1989 (ed. Jarrige, C.) 167–179 (Prehistory Press Monographic Publication, Madison, 1992).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Kenoyer, J. M. & Vidale, M. in Material Issues in Art and Archaeology III (eds Vandiver, P. B., Druzik, J. R., Wheeler, G. S. & Freestone, I. C.) 495–518 (Material Research Society, Pittsburgh, 1992).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Kenoyer, J. M., Vidale, M. & Bhan, K. K. World Archaeol. 23, 44–63 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento BAU, Università ‘La Sapienza’, Rome, 00185, Italy

    A. Coppa

  2. Sezione di Antropologia, Museo Nazionale Preistorico Etnografico ‘L. Pigorini’, Rome, 00144, Italy

    L. Bondioli

  3. Facultad de Ciencias Antropologicas, Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, 455 LL 41–43 Centro Merida, Yucatan, Mexico

    A. Cucina

  4. Department of Anthropology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, 66045-2110, USA

    D. W. Frayer

  5. Musée National des Arts Asiatiques Guimet, Paris, 75116, France

    C. Jarrige, J. -F. Jarrige & G. Quivron

  6. Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Bologna, Bologna, 40127, Italy

    M. Rossi

  7. Istituto Centrale per il Restauro, Rome, 00184, Italy

    M. Vidale

  8. Laboratoire GBPH, UMR 6046, Université de Poitiers, 86022, Poitiers, France

    R. Macchiarelli

Authors

  1. A. Coppa
  2. L. Bondioli
  3. A. Cucina
  4. D. W. Frayer
  5. C. Jarrige
  6. J. -F. Jarrige
  7. G. Quivron
  8. M. Rossi
  9. M. Vidale
  10. R. Macchiarelli

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Macchiarelli.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

About this article

Cite this article

Coppa, A., Bondioli, L., Cucina, A. et al. Early Neolithic tradition of dentistry. Nature 440, 755–756 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/440755a

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/440755a

Editorial Summary

Drill haul

Evidence for the drilling of human teeth — while the owners were still alive — has been found in adult skeletons excavated in a Neolithic graveyard in Pakistan. At 7,500–9,000 years old, these are the earliest signs of dentistry in action. The purpose of the dental work is not clear, but the drilling exposed sensitive tooth structure, so some type of filling may have been involved.