Ice Age People Harvested Teeth for Jewelry: A Prehistoric Trick

In the quest to unravel the intricate cultural practices of our distant ancestors, traditional archaeologists depend heavily on tangible evidence derived from artifacts such as tools, bones, and pottery. On the other hand, experimental archaeologists take a more immersive approach—actively recreating ancient behaviors to gain a deeper understanding of how past societies functioned. This methodology allows them to experience firsthand the challenges and intricacies of daily life in historical contexts.

This approach was recently exemplified by a dedicated team of researchers who set out to explore how Stone Age communities in northeastern Europe skillfully extracted animal teeth to craft personal accessories. Under the leadership of Aija Macāne, a visiting scholar within the Department of Cultures at the University of Helsinki, these archaeologists undertook the practical challenge of testing seven distinct extraction methods. Their goal was to identify which techniques were the most effective and efficient for this task. The findings from their research, published on June 20 in the esteemed journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, provide fresh insights into the lives and practices of prehistoric hunter-gatherers.

“Our experiments reveal that the process of tooth extraction was not only intentional but also time-sensitive, intricately woven into the fabric of daily activities, particularly in relation to cooking,” Macāne articulated in a university statement. “This finding questions the long-held belief that teeth used for ornamental purposes were merely scavenged or readily accessible.”

The researchers noted that animal teeth were among the most prevalent materials utilized for creating jewelry, accessories, and various forms of personal adornment during the Stone Age, particularly across the Northern Hemisphere. This understanding is largely attributed to archaeological sites like Zvejnieki, a significant burial ground located in northern Latvia. Here, hunter-gatherers interred individuals for nearly five millennia, spanning from 7,500 to 2,600 BCE. Excavations at Zvejnieki have unearthed over 2,000 animal teeth from these graves, providing a rich context for studying how ancient humans engaged with these materials for crafting and personal expression.

While archaeologists have thoroughly examined the animal tooth pendants discovered at this site, focusing on their origins, usage, placement within graves, and crafting techniques, there has been significantly less exploration into the extraction process itself and the physical remnants it produces. The researchers point out this gap in knowledge as a critical area for further investigation.

To bridge this gap, Macāne and her team took a hands-on approach—literally getting their hands dirty. They carried out an extensive series of experiments to evaluate seven distinct prehistoric methods for tooth extraction: cutting, percussion (or striking), air drying, soaking, direct heat, and two culinary techniques involving cooking. These methods were carefully selected based on previous archaeological and ethnographic studies. “While other extraction methods may warrant testing, we assert that these seven techniques are the most plausible given the technological context of the period,” the researchers state in their detailed report.

Over the span of a year, the researchers immersed themselves in the experiences of Stone Age humans who sought to adorn themselves with toothy trinkets. Their experiments took place at the Īdeņa Experimental Centre in eastern Latvia, where they were able to acquire the necessary raw materials from licensed local hunters. In total, they utilized seven skulls or mandibles from Eurasian elk, along with two each from wild boar and roe deer.

Among all the methods examined, the two cooking techniques emerged as the most effective. By boiling a mandible in a ceramic pot, not only was the meat tenderized, but the soft tissues also separated from the bone, facilitating an easier manual extraction of the teeth. Similarly, placing whole skulls in an earth oven—a dug-out pit designed to trap heat and steam for cooking—produced comparable results.

Both of these methods achieved high extraction rates without compromising the integrity of the teeth. Additionally, they provided the advantage of turning the meal preparation into a multi-functional activity that also rendered the remaining bones suitable for crafting tools. These findings suggest that tooth extraction was likely intertwined with broader cultural practices, blending the processes of food preparation, personal adornment creation, and funerary customs.

In contrast, while soaking also yielded successful results, it did not provide any significant advantages over the cooking methods. Cutting or striking the teeth, though effective, often resulted in damage. The remaining two techniques—air drying and direct heat application—were ultimately unsuccessful.

“While our study primarily focused on the tooth pendant assemblage from the Zvejnieki cemetery, our findings hold broader implications for understanding tooth extraction and pendant production throughout prehistory,” the researchers emphasize. “By exploring the various techniques used for tooth extraction, we have gained invaluable insights into human behavior and cultural practices during the Stone Age.”

However, the research raises further questions that warrant exploration. The team hopes their study will encourage other archaeologists to investigate the physical traces left by the extraction process on animal teeth artifacts. They also stress the importance of examining teeth from other species, including humans and dogs. Such inquiries, they argue, would illuminate the complexities and significance of these practices in a broader context.