Scraps of ancient DNA coaxed out of a deer tooth pendant show it likely hung around the neck of a woman or girl around 20,000 years ago.
Cave excavations have also turned up a bunch of pendants and tools.
But now, thanks to this new technique, researchers were able to establish a "direct link" between an artefact and the person who handled it thousands of years ago, said Bert Roberts, a geochronologist at the University of Wollongong who was not involved in the study.The pendant was made from a tooth belonging to a wapiti or elk , and had a hole drilled through one end, presumably to thread a string or thin strap through.
Bones, teeth, antlers and ivory — any part of a skeleton, really — contain a mineral called hydroxyapatite. It gives these structures strength, but also happens to hold onto and help preserve DNA. To avoid contaminating the tooth with her DNA while handling it, Elena Essel wore head-to-toe protective gear.
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