15,000-Year-Old Seal Tooth Pendant Found in English Cave Rewrites Prehistoric Understanding

Archaeologists have reidentified a perforated tooth discovered in 1867 by British geologist William Pengelly in Kents Cavern, Torquay, Devon, England. Originally thought to be from a badger or wolf, the artifact is now confirmed as a grey seal premolar crafted into a pendant roughly 15,000 years ago. A new paper in Quaternary Science Reviews details how University College London archaeologist Simon Parfitt and colleagues used micro-CT scans and 3D modeling to analyze the object. The pendant shows wear patterns indicating it was worn regularly as a necklace or bracelet, with the hole becoming oval-shaped from cord erosion. This discovery marks the first known seal tooth ornament from the British Isles, raising questions about Magdalenian people who lived 78 miles from the coast. Researchers theorize about trade, seasonal migration, or long-distance expeditions. Similar artifacts have been found in the Pyrenees of France and Spain. Future isotope and DNA studies may reveal the tooth's origins. The Natural History Museum in London previously misidentified the artifact using Pengelly's notes. The British Museum's Claire Lucas notes uncertainties about the pendant's travels. Pengelly's 1867 excavation with Edward Vivian sought proof of early human habitation, uncovering flint tools and fossils.