Archaeologists have found traces of DNA on prehistoric cuds

DNA was found on prehistoric chewing gums by men and 2 women aged from 5 to 18 years. This was done by a team of archaeologists from Sweden and Norway, led by Anders Heterstrom of Stockholm University.

Chewing gums were found in the late 1980s by Swedish archaeologists in the west of the country at the site of the Paleolithic site of Hasebe Klev. These were charred fragments the size of a nail and with noticeable teeth marks.

There were about 100 such chewing gums. Chemical analysis showed that these are fragments of birch bark. From it, the ancient hunter-gatherers knew how to get tar, using it as an adhesive. The particles were softened over the fire and long, chewed thoroughly to a thick mass. She additionally strengthened the tools on the arms.

Scientists have found that in the parking lot of Hasebe Klev, bark was chewed by representatives of all ages. Decoding the genome showed that humans belonged to Scandinavian hunter-gatherers. They hunted deer in what is now Sweden and Norway 8,000 years ago.