Ancient Europeans May Have Worn Cheek Piercings 30,000 Years Ago

Dental wear patterns in Ice Age skeletons hint at early body modification practice

A Mystery Etched in Enamel

For decades, archaeologists studying the remains of Central Europe’s Pavlovian culture—hunter-gatherers who lived between 25,000 and 29,000 years ago—have puzzled over an unusual feature in their teeth. Unlike typical wear patterns that form on the biting surfaces due to chewing, these ancient individuals displayed a distinct type of enamel erosion on the cheek-facing sides of their teeth.

A new study suggests an unexpected explanation: labrets, or cheek piercings.

An example of enamel wear on the side of Ice Age teeth from Dolní Vestonice, Czech Republic (Image credit: John C. Willman / University of Coimbra)

The research, published in the Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology¹, was conducted by John Willman, a biological anthropologist at the University of Coimbra in Portugal. He argues that these dental patterns match those seen in cultures known to wear labrets, a type of piercing that rests against the lower lip or cheeks. The study suggests that children as young as 10 may have worn labrets, and that they may have been tied to group identity, status, or rites of passage.