{
  "id": 2594186,
  "title": "A museum-shelf mystery reveals 6,500-year-old human tooth pendant in Serbia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/a-museum-shelf-mystery-reveals-6-500-year-old-human-tooth-pendant-in",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-22T15:00:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-08-museum-shelf-mystery-reveals-year.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a discovery that has piqued the interest of archaeologists, a human tooth pendant estimated to be 6,500 years old has been identified in Serbia. The pendant, which was found during field surveys at the Vinča cultural site of Jablanica, was initially misidentified as an animal tooth bead and stored on a museum shelf for nearly two decades. Archaeologist Nemanja Marković and his colleague Ana Maričić examined the tooth more closely and recognized it as a unique piece of jewelry, the only such artifact ever documented in the Neolithic central Balkans. The pendant, measuring just under an inch (23 mm), was found in a field at the Neolithic village of Jablanica, which was part of the Vinča culture, one of Europe's largest prehistoric societies. The tooth, which belonged to a middle-aged adult, was found in a fragmentary state and had been skillfully drilled and strung on a cord. The researchers used various methods, such as microscopy and X-ray analysis, to determine the age and origin of the pendant. They found similarities in the drill marks of the pendant and another shell bracelet found at the site, suggesting that the same technique was used to create both ornaments. Marković noted the remarkable precision required to create the pendant, indicating that it was worn for a prolonged period of time. This discovery sheds new light on the complex relationships between the living and the dead in Vinča society and offers a rare glimpse into the personal adornment practices of the Neolithic period.",
  "summary": "More than 6,500 years ago, someone carefully drilled a hole in a human tooth, strung it on a cord and likely used it as a necklace. Found during field surveys at the Vinča cultural site of Jablanica in Serbia, the human tooth was originally misidentified as an animal tooth bead until archaeologist Nemanja Marković and his colleague Ana Maričić took a closer look.",
  "key_points": [
    "6,500-year-old human tooth pendant discovered in Serbia",
    "Misidentified as animal tooth bead for 20 years",
    "Only such artifact documented in Neolithic central Balkans"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}