How dentistry helped solve an ancient murder

It’s the stuff that you love to watch on Netflix with the lights turned down. It revolves around a murder mystery from long ago that there were plenty of ideas about, but no concrete proof of exactly what happened and why. There were plenty of guesses and theories, but it took dentistry to crack the case of an 800,000-year-old cannibalistic murder.

You read that right. It’s been 800,000 years since some of our ancestors (complete with a taste for human flesh) killed someone who has been known as “The Boy of Gran Dolina” for years. However, thanks to dentistry and modern technology, we now know not only more about exactly what happened, but also that “The Boy of Gran Dolina” is actually “The Girl of Gran Dolina.”

Yes, thanks to the examination of teeth, we know more about the person’s identity and her correct gender. We also know that the young female was also part of a cannibalistic society and may well have met her fate that way as well.

It’s a fascinating story, complete with pictures and details. You can read all about it by clicking here.

Note: Image courtesy of CENIEH.

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Dawn Patrick

Dawn Patrick

Dawn has 30+ years of dental experience spanning all facets of dentistry including pediatric, cosmetic, complete health, and sleep. During her career, Dawn enjoyed 25 years in practice management including marketing, team training, and consulting. She joined IgniteDDS in June 2022 as Director of Operations. Dawn enjoys working directly with teams and customers to create a win-win. She is passionate about creating systems and processes that allow teams to excel. In her spare time, Dawn enjoys time with family, her two Goldendoodles, and traveling with her husband, Jon.