Teeth can contain surprising clues about how people lived thousands of years ago. New research published in open access journal Pro SwanThe study, led by Roberto Germano of Sapienza University of Rome and colleagues, shows how the teeth of Iron Age Italians preserve detailed evidence of their health, diet and early life experiences.
Understanding the daily life of ancient cultures requires reliable biological records. Teeth are particularly valuable because they are extremely durable and retain microscopic signs of growth and change. Researchers combined several types of dental analysis to examine people buried at Ponte Cagnano, an Iron Age site in southern Italy dating from the 7th to 6th centuries BC.
Childhood stress recorded in tooth growth
The research team studied the growth patterns of dental tissue in 30 teeth from 10 people. By comparing canines and molars, they reconstructed developmental patterns during the first six years of life. The enamel showed subtle destruction around 1 year of age and again around 4 years of age. These stress signals may reflect a sensitive stage in early childhood when changes in diet and behavior may increase susceptibility to disease.
Iron Age diet revealed from dental plaque
The researchers also analyzed dental plaque, known as tartar, to find out what these people ate as adults. Within the hardened plaque, microscopic remains of grains, legumes, plant fibers, and yeast spores were found. The findings point to a carbohydrate-rich diet and provide strong evidence that fermented foods and beverages were regularly consumed.
These results are consistent with previous studies suggesting that contact with Mediterranean cultures expanded the food resources available during this period. Evidence supports the idea that Iron Age communities in the region were adapting to changing environmental and social conditions.
First histological data from Pontecagnano
This study provides the first histological data from the Iron Age community of Pontecagnano. We also show how combining multiple dental techniques can generate detailed reconstructions of an individual’s life history. However, this study included only 10 people, so the results should not be considered representative of the entire population. Instead, it provides deep insight into a particular life.
The authors note that future studies with larger sample sizes and additional tools such as isotope analysis could significantly deepen our understanding of ancient communities.
Roberto Germano added: “The teeth of the Iron Age inhabitants of Pontecagnano open a unique window into their lives. We were able to track their growth and health in early childhood with remarkable precision and identify traces of grains, legumes and fermented foods in adulthood, revealing how this community adapted to environmental and social challenges.”
Professor Alessia Nava added: “The histomorphometric study of the primary and permanent teeth of individuals found in ancient burial sites has allowed us to go beyond the narrow focus on the period near death and bring to the fore the early life of each individual. This and other modern approaches represent a major technological and academic advance that is revolutionizing the study of the biocultural adaptations of past populations.”
Emanuela Cristiani added: “In the case of Pontecagnano, analysis of the tartar revealed starch granules from grains and legumes, yeast spores and plant fibers, revealing some very specific circumstances of the diet and daily life of these Iron Age communities and providing strong evidence that fermented foods and beverages were regularly consumed.”
Funding: Carmen Esposito (CE) was supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe program under the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship, grant agreement number 101065320 (TULAR). Dental calculus analysis was carried out in a laboratory funded by the European Research Council (ERC) grant HIDDEN FOODS Initiation, grant agreement number 639286 (PI: Emanuela Cristiani, EC). Alessia Nava (AN) received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon Europe program, grant agreement number 101077348 (MOTHERS). Roberto Germano (RG) received support from the PhD program in Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
