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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent

Neanderthals used stone drills to treat cavities 59,000 years ago, tooth suggests

A reconstruction of the face of the oldest Neanderthal found in the Netherlands on display in Leiden
A reconstruction of the face of the oldest Neanderthal found in the Netherlands on display in Leiden. Photograph: Bart Maat/ANP/AFP/Getty Images

Neanderthals used stone drills to treat cavities almost 60,000 years ago in what is the earliest known evidence of dental treatment.

The single molar, which was unearthed in a cave in southern Siberia, features a deep hole that appears to have been created using a sharp, thin stone tool during the lifetime of the tooth’s owner.

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