🦷 Teeth in Prehistoric Art: Ancient Symbols of Power, Survival, and Status
When we think of prehistoric art, our minds often turn to evocative cave paintings of animals and handprints — raw, powerful expressions of early humanity’s attempt to make sense of the world. But among the bison, horses, and hunters, there's another symbol that has held its place across cultures and continents: teeth. Whether represented directly in carvings, worn as jewelry, or symbolised in early figurines, teeth have occupied a curious and prominent position in prehistoric expression.
So what did teeth mean to our ancestors tens of thousands of years ago? Why were they displayed, drawn, and worn? And what can they tell us about prehistoric values, beliefs, and biology?
1. 🗿 The Symbolic Power of Teeth
In prehistoric societies, life was precarious. Food, shelter, and physical strength meant survival. Teeth — being both tools and symbols — were potent markers of these traits. Strong teeth allowed early humans to eat tough meat, crack bones for marrow, and defend themselves. As such, teeth came to embody vitality, ferocity, and resilience.
This symbolism extended beyond function. Archaeological finds suggest that prehistoric peoples viewed teeth not just as part of the body, but as items of personal and spiritual power. Just as a lion's tooth might represent dominance in the animal kingdom, human or animal teeth worn by an individual could suggest strength, bravery, or ancestral connection.
2. ⛏️ Teeth as Tools and Ornamentation
Before metallurgy, teeth weren’t only symbolic — they were practical. Animal teeth were used as:
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Cutting tools
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Fishing hooks
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Needle tips for sewing
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Components in weaponry and hunting gear
But beyond their utility, teeth frequently appeared as decoration and status markers. Sites across Europe, Africa, and Asia reveal personal adornments made from teeth, particularly canine teeth from large predators like bears, lions, wolves, and boars. These weren’t casual accessories. The difficulty of acquiring such items implies that they were symbols of prowess and courage.
One example includes the Upper Paleolithic site of Sungir in Russia, where both adults and children were buried with elaborate beaded garments and animal tooth pendants — signifying both artistry and reverence for these materials.
3. 🎨 Teeth in Cave Paintings and Sculpture
While explicit depictions of teeth in cave paintings are rare, there is indirect evidence suggesting that teeth — especially animal fangs and human dentition — were symbolically important.
In France’s renowned Chauvet Cave, dated to around 30,000 BCE, a panel of lions includes open jaws and bared teeth, accentuating the creatures' ferocity. Similarly, depictions of boars, bears, and sabre-toothed cats often exaggerate their teeth — possibly as a way to communicate fear, awe, or spiritual respect.
Sculptures like the Venus figurines from the Gravettian period, while primarily focusing on fertility and the female form, have been found in contexts also containing animal teeth. Some researchers speculate that teeth may have played a role in fertility symbolism — as strength and health were intertwined with successful reproduction.
4. 🦷 Human Teeth as Grave Goods
One of the most intriguing uses of teeth in prehistoric art and culture comes from burial practices. In various sites around the world, archaeologists have unearthed graves that include human and animal teeth either worn as amulets or incorporated into ritual objects.
At the Dolní Věstonice site in the Czech Republic, dating back nearly 30,000 years, graves contain fox and lion teeth drilled for stringing, possibly worn around the neck or sewn into clothing.
Why teeth? Because teeth are among the most durable parts of the body. Long after soft tissue and even bone degrade, teeth remain. To prehistoric people, they likely represented endurance and immortality — making them ideal symbols for the journey into the afterlife.
5. 🔍 The Spiritual Role of Teeth
Many archaeologists and anthropologists believe that prehistoric people attributed spiritual properties to certain body parts — especially those that were hard, sharp, or animal-like. Teeth fit all three categories.
In shamanic traditions that are thought to resemble prehistoric spiritual systems, teeth could represent a bridge between the physical and the spiritual. A bear’s tooth worn around the neck might imbue the wearer with the animal’s perceived strength or cunning.
Prehistoric people may have also believed that wearing the teeth of another person or animal was a way to honour, absorb, or communicate with their spirit.
6. 🌍 Cross-Cultural Examples of Teeth in Early Art
Across continents, we find repeated instances of teeth as significant objects in prehistoric art:
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Africa: Sites in Kenya and South Africa reveal early human ancestors making use of animal teeth in symbolic ways, dating as far back as 70,000 years.
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Europe: From the Iberian Peninsula to the Urals, Upper Paleolithic sites often include pendants and beads made of perforated teeth — especially red deer, elk, and fox.
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Asia: In Siberia and Mongolia, burials and cave art suggest teeth were not only used as decoration but as totemic objects in rituals.
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Australia: Aboriginal cultures have historically placed spiritual emphasis on teeth, and some evidence suggests this could trace back thousands of years.
The universality of tooth symbolism suggests a powerful and shared understanding of what teeth represented — beyond food and function.
7. 🧬 Teeth as Artistic Inspiration and Identity
Interestingly, the visual presence of teeth in prehistoric art may also relate to early identity and self-awareness. Baring one’s teeth — in a smile, snarl, or grimace — is a primal form of communication. This may have influenced early artistic depictions of humans and animals.
Artworks that exaggerate mouths and jaws may have been early attempts at capturing emotion, status, or spiritual possession. Such expressions are still with us today in cultural masks, theatre, and even emojis.
Even the act of decorating the body with teeth might be viewed as a form of identity creation — aligning the wearer with a particular spirit, clan, or totem animal.
8. 🧠 What Modern Dentistry Can Learn from Prehistoric Teeth
Beyond art and symbolism, the study of prehistoric teeth provides valuable insight for modern dental science.
Teeth from ancient skeletons reveal:
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Dietary habits (high protein vs. plant-based)
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Health conditions (malnutrition, enamel hypoplasia, abscesses)
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Evolutionary adaptations (jaw shape, dental crowding)
Importantly, many prehistoric humans show less tooth decay than modern populations, largely due to the absence of refined sugars and starches. Their oral health, while challenged by abrasion and trauma, was in many ways more robust than ours today — something modern dentistry is increasingly revisiting in discussions about nutrition and preventative care.
9. 📿 From Prehistoric Pendants to Modern Smiles
While we no longer wear animal teeth as a mark of status or strength (well, most of us don’t), the symbolism of teeth persists. We still associate white, straight teeth with health, attractiveness, and success. We still fear losing them. We still smile — baring our teeth — as a form of expression and connection.
In that sense, prehistoric art involving teeth is more than primitive decoration. It's part of the long and continuous story of humanity — one in which our teeth have played not just a biological, but an artistic, social, and spiritual role.
👨⚕️ Final Thoughts: Why Teeth Still Matter in Culture and Care
Teeth in prehistoric art remind us that dentistry is not just science — it's part of a cultural and evolutionary story stretching back tens of thousands of years. Whether etched into cave walls, buried in ceremonial graves, or strung into amulets, teeth have always meant more than mere chewing.
They’ve symbolised who we are, how we survive, and what we value.
At Star Dental Care in Port Macquarie, we honour that legacy every day — by helping you protect your modern smile with the same care, reverence, and respect our ancestors showed theirs.
📍 Star Dental Care
🦷 61 Lord Street, Port Macquarie, NSW
📞 Call Now: 65836111
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