A pioneering study in experimental archaeology has revealed the techniques used by prehistoric communities in north-eastern Europe to extract animal teeth for crafting personal ornaments—offering fresh insights into the daily lives and cultural practices of Stone Age hunter-gatherers.
The research centers on the Zvejnieki cemetery site in Latvia (7500–2500 cal. BC), where more than 2,000 animal teeth have been excavated from graves. While previous studies focused on the symbolic and decorative roles of these ornaments, this new investigation highlights a critical but previously overlooked step: how the teeth were actually removed from animal skulls.
Using experimental archaeology, the research team tested seven different extraction methods, including cutting, percussion, air drying, soaking, direct heat, and different cooking techniques. The results showed that wet cooking and pit steaming were the most effective, allowing for high extraction rates without damaging the teeth. These methods also rendered the meat edible and the bones suitable for tool-making.
“Our experiments show that tooth extraction was a deliberate, time-sensitive process embedded in daily life, especially cooking practices,” said Dr. Aija Macāne, lead researcher. “This challenges the assumption that teeth used for ornaments were simply scavenged or easily available.”
The findings suggest that tooth extraction was not merely a functional task but an integral part of broader cultural practices, intertwining food preparation, personal adornment manufacture and mortuary rituals. The study calls for a reevaluation of the chaîne opératoire—the sequence of actions involved in artefact production—particularly in relation to ornament-making and human–animal relationships.
The researchers hope their work will inspire further studies into the early stages of ornament production, including comparisons with butchery practices and the extraction of human and carnivore teeth.
“By better understanding the extraction process, we gain deeper insight into the life histories of tooth pendants—from animal capture and processing, to ornament crafting, use, and final deposition,” added Dr. Macāne.
This study not only enriches our understanding of prehistoric craft but also sheds light on the complex interplay between daily survival, symbolic expression, and identity in ancient societies.
This research is part of the project ‘Animals Make Identities. The Social Bioarchaeology of Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic Cemeteries in North-East Europe’ (AMI), which has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and is led by Professor Kristiina Mannermaa at the University of Helsinki.
In addition to Macāne and Mannermaa, Kerkko Nordqvist from the University of Helsinki, Andy Needham and Aimée Little from the University of York, Diederik Pomstra from Leiden University, Gabriel Cifuentes Alcobendas from University of Alcala, Jānis Reblis from Īdeņa, and Ilga Zagorska from the Institute of Latvian History, University of Latvia contributed to the study.