6000-Year-Old Dental Tartar Reveals Neolithic Diet

Cereals, Legumes, and Tubers Found in Ancient Sudanese Diets

Published in “Scientific Reports,” a study titled “Direct evidence of plant consumption in Neolithic Eastern Sudan from dental calculus analysis” sheds light on the dietary habits of ancient human groups living in Eastern Sudan during the Neolithic period, between the 4th and 2nd millennium BCE.

Dental tartar, resistant to post-depositional alterations and aided by past hygiene practices, is abundant in archaeological contexts. Its analysis provides crucial insights into the lifestyles of our ancestors, trapping plant fragments, fibers, pollens, bacteria, and other residues, enabling the reconstruction of key aspects of ancient populations’ lives, including diet, environment, health, and lifestyle.

Analyzing tartar from human teeth dated between the 4th and 2nd millennia BCE, from archaeological sites in Eastern Sudan, refined knowledge about the exploitation of plant resources during the Neolithic in this region.