When you think of ancient history, you probably picture famished hunters, rampant disease, ragged clothing, and crude shelters. But the past also hid a handful of oddball dilemmas that are as strange as they are intriguing. In this roundup we uncover 10 weird fascinating problems that plagued our ancestors—from fungal delicacies and communal brews to lead‑laden teeth and prehistoric parasites.
10 Weird Fascinating Glimpses Into Antiquity
10 They Had To Eat Fungus
The Pueblo peoples of the American Southwest kicked off their agricultural adventure around 400 BC. For eight centuries they leaned heavily on maize, which supplied roughly eighty percent of their daily calories.
With such a narrow diet—just a sprinkle of yucca here, an occasional rabbit there—the Pueblo should have suffered from pellagra and other nutrient‑deficiency woes. Yet the archaeological record shows they avoided those classic malnutrition symptoms.
Their secret weapon? A maize‑infecting fungus called Ustilago maydis, better known today as corn smut. While modern gardeners consider it a pest, ancient Pueblo cooks deliberately harvested the swollen galls, called huitlacoche, because the fungus packed a protein punch and boasted a balanced amino‑acid profile. The tradition lives on in Mexico, where the fungus is still prized as a culinary delicacy.
9 They Had To Share Their Beer
Recent chemical analyses have confirmed that Mesopotamians were enthusiastic beer drinkers. Residue from pottery fragments unearthed at Khani Masi—now in the Kurdish region of Iraq—reveals that people there were sipping barley‑based brew between 1500 and 1000 BC.
Unlike the personal mugs we pour from today, early Mesopotamians gathered around massive communal vats. Each participant dipped a long, metal‑tipped straw into the frothy liquid, turning the act of drinking into a shared ritual.
As societies evolved, the practice shifted toward individual containers that held roughly 600 ml (about 20 oz) of beer—just shy of two modern‑size bottles—signaling a move toward more private consumption habits.
8 Even Ancient People Were Exposed To Lead
Lead poisoning wasn’t a modern industrial problem; even Neanderthals fell victim to it. Scientists examined the teeth of two individuals from southern France and uncovered tell‑tale signatures of lead exposure.
Teeth act like tree rings, growing a new enamel layer each day. By analyzing these layers, researchers can pinpoint when toxic substances entered a person’s system. The data suggest the Neanderthals absorbed lead during colder seasons, likely when harsher autumns and winters strained their nutrition.
The most plausible sources? Contaminated food or water, or inhalation of lead‑laden smoke from fires lit in caves that sat atop subterranean lead deposits.
7 Everyone Got Parasites
Old latrines are time capsules for parasites. Researchers examined 31 medieval latrines from Lübeck, Germany—a bustling Hanseatic port—and recovered 700‑year‑old parasite remains.
The analysis revealed that the town’s residents were riddled with tapeworms and roundworms, a direct consequence of a diet heavy in undercooked freshwater fish.
Interestingly, the parasite assemblage shifted around the year 1300, reflecting a dietary pivot toward more meat consumption. This change likely coincided with the rise of leather‑making and butchery, which polluted nearby waterways and altered the local parasite ecology.
6 They Had Holes Drilled Through Their Skull
Ancient Chinese physicians possessed impressive surgical knowledge, including cranial surgery over three millennia ago. At the Ruins of Yin, archaeologists uncovered two skulls bearing precise drill holes.
One skull belonged to a ten‑year‑old boy, featuring a circular perforation just one centimeter wide. Evidence of bone healing indicates the child survived the operation, which was likely performed using bone needles—four of which were found at the site.
This isn’t an isolated find; thirteen other skulls with multiple perforations have been documented at Xinjiang sites, underscoring a sophisticated tradition of trepanation in early China.
5 Women Weren’t Spared The Violence
A comprehensive study of 378 Scandinavian skulls—spanning from 3900 BC to 1700 BC—reveals that women suffered violent trauma just as frequently as men during the late Stone Age.
Approximately one in six skulls bore signs of lethal cranial injury. In Sweden, about ten percent of the examined skulls showed evidence of blunt‑force trauma, while in Denmark the figure rose to seventeen percent.
These findings challenge the long‑standing notion that ancient women were shielded from conflict. Researchers attribute the injuries to local warfare, family feuds, and raids that did not discriminate by gender.
4 They Were Preyed On By Bedbugs
Bedbugs are not a product of modern hygiene failures. At the Paisley Five Mile Point Cave site in Oregon, scientists uncovered the oldest known specimens of the bedbug genus, dating back a staggering 11,000 years.
This discovery eclipses the previous record holder—a 3,500‑year‑old specimen from Egypt—by a wide margin.
Unlike today’s urban pests that feed on humans, these ancient bugs were bat parasites. Nonetheless, as hunter‑gatherers seasonally occupied the caves, the insects likely bit and irritated the people who sought shelter there.
3 They Had Limited Choices For Entertainment
Even Bronze‑Age societies experienced bouts of boredom, and their gaming repertoire was modest. One popular pastime that spread from the Near East was a game known as “58 Holes,” also called “Hounds and Jackals.”
Archaeologists uncovered a stone board etched with rows of 58 dots inside a 4,000‑year‑old rock shelter in Azerbaijan. Players likely rolled a primitive die to move their pieces, aiming to reach the final hole.
The game is considered a predecessor of modern backgammon and served as a social lubricant, helping disparate groups share ideas and culture across vast distances.
2 They Had Surprisingly Bad Teeth
A burial chamber in the Grotte des Pigeons caves of Taforalt, Morocco, yielded the remains of 52 adults who lived between 15,000 and 13,700 years ago—and a startling dental record.
Only three individuals escaped cavities. Over half of the surviving teeth displayed decay, with 49 of the 52 exhibiting cavities—a prevalence comparable to modern societies saturated with refined sugars.
While pre‑agricultural peoples typically enjoy relatively healthy dentition, these hunter‑gatherers consumed a diet rich in nuts, North‑African acorns, legumes, and oats. They likely ground these foods into flatbreads or sticky porridges that clung to teeth, providing a feast for cavity‑causing bacteria.
1 They Ate Their Dogs
The Mexican hairless dog, or Xoloitzcuintli, traces its lineage back roughly 3,500 years, making it one of the world’s oldest canine breeds.
In Nahuatl, “Xolotl” refers to the god of death and lightning—mythically the breed’s creator—while “itzcuintli” simply means “dog.” Aztec culture revered these animals as protectors and psychopomps, guiding souls through Mictlan, the underworld.
Archaeological evidence shows that in the regions of Colima, Nayarit, and Jalisco, ceramic figurines of the Xolo accompanied about 75 percent of burials. Yet, despite their sacred status, the Aztecs also consumed these dogs as a delicacy, a practice that persisted until the Spanish conquest, which nearly drove the breed to extinction.