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Evidence suggests Neanderthals performed root canals 59,000 years ago | The Jerusalem Post

Jpost · · 620 words · By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
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What to know about Evidence suggests Neanderthals performed root canals 59,000 years ago

Researchers have identified what they say is the world’s oldest evidence of invasive dental treatment on a 59,000 to 60,000-year-old Neanderthal lower molar from Chagyrskaya Cave in Siberia, a procedure that predates similar interventions in Homo sapiens by…

Claims checked 13
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center80%
Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Researchers have identified what they say is the world’s oldest evidence of invasive dental treatment on a 59,000 to 60,000-year-old Neanderthal lower molar from Chagyrskaya Cave in Siberia, a procedure that predates similar interventions in Homo sapiens by…

Why it matters

The tooth bears a deep, intentionally drilled hole that reaches the pulp, likely created with a stone tool—possibly a jasper perforator—to remove decayed tissue and relieve severe pain.

Common ground

Wear patterns show the individual survived and continued chewing on the tooth afterward.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.jpost.com/science/article-896212

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 13 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6
schedule Pending 3
info Single Source 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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Claim 1: “Researchers have identified what they say is the world’s oldest evidence of invasive dental treatment on a 59,000 to 60,000-year-old Neanderthal lower molar from Chagyrskaya Cave in Siberia”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent news sources (CNN, Guardian, and other web results) confirm the discovery of a 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar from Chagyrskaya Cave showing evidence of dental treatment.
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web search NEUTRAL — In law, evidence is information to establish or refute claims relevant to a case, such as testimony, documentary evidence, and physical evidence. [1] The relation between evidence and a supported stat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence
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web search NEUTRAL — The meaning of EVIDENCE is an outward sign : indication. How to use evidence in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Evidence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evidence
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web search NEUTRAL — EVIDENCE definition: that which tends to prove or disprove something; ground for belief; proof. See examples of evidence used in a sentence.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/evidence
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Claim 2: “Experiments on modern and Holocene human teeth reproduced the same micro-traces by rotating sharp stone points”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that researchers used stone tools to drill into modern and extracted human teeth to recreate the marks found on the Neanderthal molar.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The natural history of Earth concerns the development of planet Earth from its formation to the present day. Nearly all branches of natural science have contributed to understanding of the main events…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Earth
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Homo sapiens is a distinct species of the hominid family of primates, which also includes all the great apes. Over their evolutionary history, humans gradually developed traits such as bipedalism, dex…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_evolution
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Steppe Route was an ancient overland route through the Eurasian Steppe that was an active precursor of the Silk Road. Silk and horses were traded as key commodities; secondary trade included furs,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steppe_Route
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 3: “Dentistry is regarded as one of the oldest medical fields, with roots traced to 7000 BC”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 4: “The cave has yielded the richest collection of artifacts in this part of Eurasia and is associated with the easternmost known Neanderthals closely related to the Micoquian industry”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm Chagyrskaya Cave as a key site with a rich collection of artifacts and association with the easternmost Neanderthals. While Wikipedia provides general context on Neanderthals, the specific site details are corroborated by archaeological reports in the web results.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — For much of the early 20th century, Neanderthal behaviour was depicted as primitive, unintelligent, and brutish; unevolved compared to their modern human contemporaries, the Cro-Magnons. Although know…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neanderthal_behavior
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web search NEUTRAL — Over the years, excavations at Chagyrskaya Cave in southwestern Siberia have unearthed an assortment of Paleolithic treasures, including heaps of tools fashioned from stone and bone, alongside fossils…
https://www.vpm.org/npr-news/npr-news/2026-05-13/neanderthal…
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web search NEUTRAL — Meet Leakey Foundation grantee Dr. Bence Viola and learn about the Neanderthals of Chagyrskaya Cave.Take a break from your day and feed your brain with The L...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvw0knTqGNU
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 5: “a procedure that predates similar interventions in Homo sapiens by more than 40,000 years”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources explicitly state that this discovery predates similar dental interventions in Homo sapiens by more than 40,000 years.
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web search NEUTRAL — A molar points to some sophisticated dental work performed by our extinct cousins.A team digging in Chagyrskaya Cave in southern Russia’s Altai region found a single Neanderthal molar that is approxim…
https://www.popsci.com/science/neanderthal-teeth-cavities/
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web search NEUTRAL — Neanderthal dental care could be surprisingly sophisticated, according to a recent study led by scientists at the Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg. The study analysed a molar from 59,000 yea…
https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/neanderthals-dentist-tooth
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web search NEUTRAL — The discovery would mark the earliest evidence of dental work in a species of human and would predate evidence of dentistry in homo sapiens by more than 40,000 years. Researchers analyzed a Neandertha…
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/59-000-year-old-n…
verified
Claim 6: “an approach that could penetrate dentin in roughly 35 to 50 minutes of continuous effort”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim contains irrelevant Wikipedia entries about aircraft and rotator cuff tears, with no mention of dentin penetration times.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Rotator cuff tendinopathy is a process of senescence. The pathophysiology is mucoid degeneration. Most people develop rotator cuff tendinopathy within their lifetime. As part of rotator cuff tendinop…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotator_cuff_tear
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for air superiority and strike missi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-35_Lightning…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Northrop YB-35, Northrop designation N-9 or NS-9, was an experimental heavy bomber aircraft developed by the Northrop Corporation for the United States Army Air Forces during and shortly after Wor…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_YB-35
schedule
Claim 7: “the modern form consolidating much later with the publication of “The Surgeon Dentist” in 1723”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 8: “The tooth also shows characteristic scratches consistent with toothpick use on a lateral surface”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to support the claim regarding toothpick use.
info
Claim 9: “Analyses revealed fine parallel striations and V-shaped grooves inside the cavity”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists only of dictionary definitions of the word 'analyses' and does not contain the actual scientific findings regarding striations or grooves in the tooth.
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web search NEUTRAL — ANALYSES definition: the plural of analysis. See examples of analyses used in a sentence.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/analyses
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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 8, 2026 · In simple terms, “analysis” refers to a single examination of data, while “analyses” is the plural form, meaning multiple examinations. Knowing when to use each form helps avoid mistakes…
https://knowledgar.com/analysis-or-analyses/
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web search NEUTRAL — ANALYSES definition: 1. plural of analysis 2. plural of analysis. Learn more.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/analyses
info
Claim 10: “micro-CT scans showed the pulp chamber was widened in a way inconsistent with natural wear or accidental damage”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence provided for this claim consists of general research papers on micro-CT scans of pulp chambers in modern/primary molars, but does not specifically confirm the findings for the Chagyrskaya Neanderthal molar.
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web search NEUTRAL — Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the differences between the positional relationship of the crown contour and the pulp chamber of left and right maxillary first molars, as well …
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6365124/
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web search NEUTRAL — The aim of the present study was to clarify the shape of the pulp chamber and the three-dimensional positional relationship between the contour of the crown and pulp chamber using a micro-computed ...
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336867911_Pulp_Cham…
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web search NEUTRAL — The anatomical variability of primary molars promotes research to improve clinical restorative activity, forensic identification, and industrial development. The objective was to study the morphology …
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/15/9279
schedule
Claim 11: “Excavations in the Altai Mountains have uncovered abundant stone and bone tools from 70,000 to 60,000 years ago”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 12: “The tooth bears a deep, intentionally drilled hole that reaches the pulp, likely created with a stone tool—possibly a jasper perforator”
CORROBORATED
Sources confirm the presence of a deep hole reaching the pulp, created by a stone tool, specifically mentioning a jasper perforator used by the Neanderthals.
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web search NEUTRAL — The researchers re-created tools found in the cave using locally sourced jasper. Zubova et al., 2026/PLOS One. Zotkina used a tool made from jasper to create depressions in the teeth through drilling …
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/13/science/neanderthal-dentistry…
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web search NEUTRAL — The lower molar features a deep hole in the centre of the tooth extending into the pulp cavity. Microscopic X-ray imaging revealed changes in mineralisation that indicated severe tooth decay.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/13/neanderthals…
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web search NEUTRAL — “This was created intentionally by a human hand, specifically by a Neanderthal, using a small, pointed lithic tool, likely a perforator made of local jasper,” said study author Lydia Zotkina. The team…
https://www.msn.com/en-us/science/general/a-neanderthal-with…
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Claim 13: “Wear patterns show the individual survived and continued chewing on the tooth afterward.”
CORROBORATED
Evidence from multiple reports indicates that wear patterns (polished, rounded contours) show the individual continued to use the tooth after the procedure.
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web search NEUTRAL — The tooth's polished, rounded contours indicate that the individual continued to use the tooth well after the drilling procedure, Kolobova says. "At first, we were sceptical," she says.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2526440-neanderthals-tr…
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web search NEUTRAL — Neanderthal dentists used stone drills to treat cavities nearly 60,000 years ago, ancient molar suggests by Public Library of Science edited by Robert Egan Editors' notes
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-neanderthal-dentists-stone-dri…
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web search NEUTRAL — This may be the earliest evidence of Neanderthal 'dentists' A hole drilled into a 60,000-year-old molar suggests that Neanderthals practiced complex dental care long before modern humans.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/neanderth…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.