Dentistry could be a surprise contender for the world's oldest profession after scientists found 9,000-year-old teeth that had been drilled by a highly-skilled practitioner.
Excavations of neolithic graves in Balochistan yielded a total of 11 drilled teeth. Anthropologists, led by Roberto Macchiarelli, of Poitiers University, also recreated a flint-tipped, bow drill that they believe may have been used in the operations.
A report in Thursday's edition of the journal Nature said: "Four teeth show signs of decay associated with the hole, indicating the intervention in some cases could have been therapeutic.
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