“This finding is perhaps the most ancient evidence of pre-historic dentistry in Europe and the earliest known direct example of therapeutic-palliative dental filling so far,” said research leader Federico Bernardini at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in a press release.
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The researchers believe that the beeswax was applied shortly before or after the man’s death as the edges of the tooth fracture are not worn. If he was still alive, the filling was probably used to reduce tooth sensitivity while chewing.
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“The discovery of propolis pellets preserved among the grave goods in some late Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic burials of northeastern Italy testifies that hunter-gatherers were already using resinous aromatic bee products, suitable also for therapeutic-palliative purposes,” they concluded.
Beeswax Filling Found in 6,500-Year-Old Tooth