Buzz
If you're searching for something unsettling, ancient teeth take the prize. Few things can rival the sight of decay-filled teeth unearthed in subway systems or the sharp fangs sewn into a prehistoric pouch.
While gruesome discoveries captivate, ancient teeth offer more than just shock value. Recently, they have reshaped our understanding of Egyptian labor, confirmed dinosaur migration patterns, and provided crucial clues about the appearance of the enigmatic Denisovans, our long-lost relatives.
10. The Subway Teeth
In 2018, a discovery in Australia revealed a trove of teeth. This wasn’t just a handful of molars found in a remote cave. Over 1,000 teeth were scattered throughout a Melbourne subway system.
Fortunately, this wasn’t linked to any criminal activity. The teeth had been disposed of by multiple 20th-century dentists, including J.J. Forster, who operated at 11 Swanston Street. From 1898 to the 1930s, he extracted teeth during an era when cocaine was commonly used to ease patients’ discomfort. Among the findings were dentures and a tooth repaired with a gold filling.
Most of the teeth revealed the primary reason for dental visits—severe cavities. The decay must have been excruciating, but that was only the beginning. Despite Forster’s 1924 newspaper advertisement claiming to “[remove] teeth truthfully without pain,” dentists of that era relied on forceps to extract problematic teeth.
How did these teeth end up in the subway?
Their location provided a clear hint. Discovered inside an iron pipe and the surrounding soil, it’s likely that dentists flushed the teeth down a drain to dispose of them.
9. The Enigma of Megalodon’s Evolution
A 2019 study delved into the mysteries of an ancient predator that continues to fascinate. Megalodon, the largest shark to ever exist, possessed teeth that were serrated instruments of terror.
Researchers aimed to uncover how megalodon’s razor-sharp teeth evolved to become so effective. They analyzed 359 fossilized teeth, primarily from Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, an area that was once submerged under a prehistoric ocean. The findings revealed that megalodon’s teeth evolved gradually, shaped by millions of years of evolutionary refinement.
The evolutionary journey unfolded as follows. Otodus obliquus, megalodon’s earliest ancestor, dominated the oceans between 60 and 40 million years ago. Their jaws featured “cusplets,” small teeth flanking the larger ones, creating a three-pronged structure ideal for grasping and tearing prey.
Some of the teeth discovered in Maryland were from Carcharocles chubutensis, a direct predecessor of megalodon. By comparing their teeth to megalodon’s, researchers observed that the cusplets disappeared over millions of years, while serrations developed on the primary tooth. The reasons behind this lengthy process and the eventual disappearance of cusplets remain a mystery to scientists.
8. The Earliest Evidence of Right-Handedness
Approximately 1.8 million years ago, a hominid from the species Homo habilis damaged its front teeth. Discovered in Tanzania in 1995, this fossilized individual later became the focus of a 2016 study that revealed an intriguing detail—right-handedness.
Researchers analyzing the grooves on the teeth concluded that they resulted from feeding practices. Specifically, the hominid used its teeth to hold food steady while cutting it with a stone tool held in one hand. Occasionally, the tool slipped, leaving scratches on the enamel. The pattern of these marks indicated that the dominant hand, and thus the tool-wielding hand, was the right one.
This discovery marks the oldest evidence of its kind in the archaeological record and the first of many fossils that could confirm the long-standing prevalence of right-handedness. Researchers are cautiously optimistic about uncovering more. Since genetics and specific brain regions influence whether someone is left- or right-handed, delving deeper into the history of human hands and brains may help explain why left-handed individuals are less common worldwide.
7. A Mosasaur Battle
In 2012, miners uncovered an ancient predator in Alberta, Canada. This creature was a mosasaur, a dolphin-like reptile that thrived in ancient oceans. The specimen measured an impressive 6.5 meters (21 feet) in length.
Scientists discovered a tooth embedded in the mosasaur’s lower jaw, belonging to another mosasaur. Around 75 million years ago, the two predators engaged in a fierce confrontation. The attacker struck from below at an angle, biting its rival’s face three times on the left side. One bite was so forceful that a tooth broke off and remained lodged in the injured mosasaur’s jawbone.
Earlier fossils indicated that mosasaurs engaged in cannibalism, but this particular individual survived the encounter. It also stands as the first documented instance of a nonfatal mosasaur conflict in the fossil record. The injuries healed, but the same mosasaur suffered another bite on the right side of its skull from an unidentified species. The incomplete healing suggests it died not long after.
6. Proof of Dinosaur Migration
While theories proposed that certain dinosaur species migrated seasonally, evidence was lacking until 2011. Scientists studied the teeth of sauropods, massive herbivores whose remains were found in Utah and Wyoming.
Both locations are low-altitude areas, but oxygen-18 isotope analysis of the teeth revealed something unexpected. The isotope signatures matched those of a high-altitude environment, providing compelling evidence of migration.
During the era of the sauropods, western North America experienced alternating wet and dry seasons. For such massive creatures, the dry periods would have been insufficient to provide the necessary food and water.
It seems these giants traveled over 560 kilometers (350 miles) to reach the highlands in search of sustenance. While residing there, the isotopes from the environment became embedded in their tooth enamel.
Sauropods replaced their teeth every five to six months. In this instance, researchers were fortunate to discover highland isotopes in teeth shed at lower altitudes. This provided the first concrete evidence that some dinosaurs undertook seasonal migrations.
5. Humanity’s Rodent-Like Ancestors
In 2017, an undergraduate student scoured Dorset for dissertation inspiration, primarily seeking fossils. He discovered two teeth and brought them to the University of Portsmouth for identification. Researchers there immediately recognized them and were utterly astonished.
The teeth belonged to mammals that thrived 145 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period. These creatures represented two new species, Durlstotherium newmani and Durlstodon ensomi, part of the Eutheria group, which evolved into the most successful mammal family, including all placental mammals.
The discovery wasn’t surprising because of the species’ ratlike appearance but due to the fossils’ age. They resembled those of animals living 60 million years later. Despite their antiquity, these “rats” were not primitive prototypes. Their teeth revealed advanced features, such as the ability to cut and crush food, which was highly sophisticated for their era.
The teeth also came from mature adults, highlighting the species’ survival skills. Notably, as the oldest confirmed Eutherians, they represent the earliest known mammalian ancestors of humans.
4. An Egyptian Artisan
The historical records of ancient Egypt are remarkably detailed compared to most ancient cultures. Scholars analyzing texts, paintings, and other artifacts concluded that women were limited to seven professions: priestesses, dancers, singers, musicians, mourners, weavers, and midwives.
In 2019, researchers examined the remains of a woman buried 4,000 years ago in Mendes, a former capital of ancient Egypt. Her high-status grave, discovered in the 1970s, revealed she was around 50 years old at death. Her teeth provided an unexpected clue about her life.
Damage on 16 of her teeth was unrelated to eating. Instead, it aligned with the wear patterns seen in craftspeople who used their teeth to manipulate plant materials.
The study concluded that she was a highly skilled craftswoman, likely shaping papyrus into items like vessels, curtains, mats, and sandals. The outer rind of the papyrus stalk was used for these creations, and if she employed her teeth to strip the bark, it would account for the distinctive marks.
3. New Insights into Denisovans
The Denisovans are a distinct branch of the human family tree. Their existence was only revealed when bone fragments and teeth were discovered in a Siberian cave a few years ago. While DNA evidence confirmed their widespread presence across Asia and Europe, much about this species remained shrouded in mystery.
Finding more Denisovan remains became a top priority for archaeologists, but few were aware that a significant discovery had already been made in the 1980s. A monk exploring a cave on the Tibetan plateau stumbled upon a human jawbone, which he handed over to a living Buddha. The relic was eventually passed to researchers, leading to a groundbreaking study.
Published in 2019, the study provided crucial insights into the Denisovans after proteins were extracted from a 160,000-year-old molar. The findings revealed that Denisovans had a more primitive appearance compared to Neanderthals, supported by their strong jawbones and unusually large, robust teeth.
The most striking discovery was a gene enabling Denisovans to thrive at high altitudes without suffering from hypoxia. This genetic adaptation explains why some modern Tibetan populations, who inherited Denisovan DNA, rarely experience oxygen deprivation.
2. A Purse Adorned with Teeth
Today’s accessories sparkle with gems and sequins, but in Germany’s Stone Age, fashion leaned toward enamel over emeralds. Dog teeth were used in necklaces and hair ornaments for both men and women. However, one artifact stood out above the rest.
During a 2012 excavation near Leipzig, archaeologists uncovered what might be the oldest purse in the world. While the original material or leather had decayed, its eerie decorations survived. Crafted between 2500 and 2200 BC, the purse was embellished with over 100 dog teeth from numerous animals.
The teeth were meticulously arranged in rows, all aligned in the same direction. The pattern suggested they once adorned the flap of a bag. Even in an era when canine-based accessories were popular, this handbag was an extraordinary discovery.
However, it wasn’t the first artifact decorated in this way. Other Stone Age graves have revealed patterns of wolf and dog teeth that once embellished blankets, though the fabric has since disintegrated and vanished.
1. The Eppelsheim Teeth
In 2016, two teeth were discovered near Eppelsheim. While the German town was famous for its regional fossils, this find stood out, sparking intense debate among experts.
The molar and canine tooth were exceptionally well-preserved, an impressive feat given their alleged age of 10 million years. If verified, their age and location could revolutionize our understanding of human history.
The canine tooth, in particular, bears a striking resemblance to those of early human ancestors. This has sparked controversy, as similar teeth have only been discovered in Africa, and those are significantly younger by millions of years.
According to the established timeline of human history, humans evolved in Africa and migrated to Asia and Europe approximately 100,000 years ago. However, these ancient teeth suggest the possibility of an unknown human lineage evolving independently in Europe.
The archaeologists who unearthed the teeth support this theory, asserting they belonged to the same individual. However, opposing experts argue that the teeth likely came from two different primate species rather than an enigmatic human branch.
