Research: 6000-year-old dental tartar reveals Neolithic diet

06.03.2024

Published in Scientific Reports,the study Direct evidence of plant consumption in Neolithic Eastern Sudan from dental calculus analysis reveals the eating habits of Neolithic communities of Eastern Sudan between the 4th and 2nd millennia BCE. The work was conducted by researchers at the universities of Padua, La Sapienza of Rome, L'Orientale of Naples, Coimbra, and the Museum of Civilizations of Rome. 

Resistant to post-depositional alterations and, thanks to the scarcity of hygienic practices, dental tartar is quite abundant in archaeological contexts, studying it allows us to gather information on the lifestyle of our ancestors. Fragments of plants, starch, pollen, bacteria, and other residues trapped in the tartar allow us to reconstruct key aspects of the life of ancient populations, including those linked to diet, the environment, health, and lifestyle.

The analysis of the tartar present on human teeth between the 4th and 2nd millennium BCE from archaeological sites in eastern Sudan allowed us to gather information on the food exploitation of plant resources during the Neolithic period in this region.

First author, Dr Giusy Capasso of the Department of Cultural Heritage at the University of Padua explains, “Until recently the prevailing hypothesis was that during the Neolithic period, the economy in eastern Sudan was mainly based on pastoralism, while there was no direct evidence on the role of plant resources. This new research reveals that grains, legumes, and tubers were an integral part of the human diet in eastern Sudan during the Neolithic period. Furthermore, the study identified some preparation techniques such as grinding and cooking, providing new knowledge on food processing.” 

Professor of Prehistoric Archaeology at La Sapienza University of Rome, Emanuela Cristiani confirms, “The study allowed us to reconstruct the adaptation strategies of human groups in response to the evolution of the climate and landscape over time. We now know that as of the 2nd millennium BCE, eastern Sudan had witnessed drought conditions. Along with this data, dental calculus exclusively indicates the exploitation of sorghum and tuber starch granules, showing how the Neolithic communities modified their subsistence in response to environmental changes."