Story perspectives

59,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Tooth Reveals Dental Surgery

5/14/2026

Summary

Story summary

Ksenia Kolobova’s team identified a 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar from Chagyrskaya Cave with deliberate drilling marks, an invasive dental treatment.
Scans revealed radial grooves matching a rotating stone-tool motion into the pulp chamber, ruling out accidental breakage.
Lab replication with a jasper point on modern molars produced the same cavity after 50 minutes, confirming feasibility.
Wear on the tooth shows it was used for years after the procedure, indicating pain relief.

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Story summary

Ksenia Kolobova’s team identified a 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar from Chagyrskaya Cave with deliberate drilling marks, an invasive dental treatment.
Scans revealed radial grooves matching a rotating stone-tool motion into the pulp chamber, ruling out accidental breakage.
Lab replication with a jasper point on modern molars produced the same cavity after 50 minutes, confirming feasibility.
Wear on the tooth shows it was used for years after the procedure, indicating pain relief.