Ancient teeth are treasure troves of data on Iron Age lifestyles

Teeth provide a wealth of information about the lives of Iron Age Italians, according to a study published January 14, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Roberto Germano of Sapienza University of Rome, Italy and colleagues.

Comparing the lifestyles of ancient cultures requires detailed information about the lives of long-deceased individuals. Human teeth are an excellent resource for this data, being very resilient structures that act as archives of life history information. In this study, Germano and colleagues combined multiple dental analyses to interpret details about health and diet in the Iron Age Italian site of Pontecagnano, dating to the 7th and 6th centuries BC.

The team analyzed growth patterns in the dental tissue of 30 teeth from 10 individuals. Comparing data from canine and molar teeth, they reconstructed growth history during the first 6 years of individuals’ lives. They observed minor stress events that occurred at about one year and four years of age, most likely related to pivotal periods of early childhood where changing behavior and diet expose children to diseases. Analysis of dental plaque also provided insights into adult diets, revealing the presence of a range of foodstuffs: cereals, legumes, abundant carbohydrates, and fermented foods. These results align with previous research, suggesting an increased diversity of food resources during this time period thanks to increased contact with Mediterranean cultures.

This study provides the first histological data from the Iron Age community of Pontecagnano, and proof of concept that combined dental analyses can provide detailed insights into ancient life histories. Given the small number of individuals analyzed, the results of this study should not be interpreted as representative of the broader population and are better seen as detailed insights into individual life histories. The authors suggest that future study involving larger samples and additional techniques such as isotopic analysis will dramatically improve our understanding of ancient communities.

Roberto Germano adds: “The teeth of Pontecagnano’s Iron Age inhabitants opened a unique window onto their lives: we could follow childhood growth and health with remarkable precision and identify traces of cereals, legumes, and fermented foods in adulthood, revealing how this community adapted to environmental and social challenges.”

Alessia Nava adds: “The study of the histomorphometry of deciduous and permanent teeth from individuals found in ancient necropolises makes it possible to go beyond the narrow focus on the period close to their death and brings to the forefront the life of each of them during their early years. This and other modern approaches represent a major technological and disciplinary advancement that is revolutionizing the study of the biocultural adaptations of past populations.”

Emanuela Cristiani adds: “In the case of Pontecagnano, the analysis of dental calculus revealed starch granules from cereals and legumes, yeast spores, and plant fibers, providing a very concrete picture of the diet and some daily activities of these Iron Age communities, and offering strong evidence of the regular consumption of fermented foods and beverages.” 

In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS One: https://plos.io/48VfSfM

Citation: Germano R, Higgins OA, Cristiani E, Galbusera A, Esposito C, Neves D, et al. (2026) Health and lifestyle in the Iron Age Italian community of Pontecagnano (Campania, Italy, 7th-6th century BCE). PLoS One 21(1): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0338448

Author countries: Italy, Portugal, Poland.

Funding: Carmen Esposito (CE) was supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship, Grant Agreement No. 101065320 (TULAR). Dental calculus analyses were carried out in a laboratory funded by the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant HIDDEN FOODS, Grant Agreement No. 639286 (PI: Emanuela Cristiani, EC). Alessia Nava (AN) received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, Grant Agreement No. 101077348 (MOTHERS; project website: https://www.erc-mothers.eu/). Roberto Germano (RG) received support from the Environmental Biology Doctoral School, Sapienza University of Rome. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.