HONDURAS: During the 1st millennium A.D., semiprecious stones were sometimes embedded in Maya people’s teeth as part of a ceremonial rite of passage. Skilled Maya dentists would drill holes into the enamel and affix small decorative jewels in place with a type of glue, a process that turns out to also have had healthful effects. Chemical analysis revealed that the adhesive was often made from a concoction of plant resins with antibacterial and therapeutic properties that would have helped prevent infection and tooth decay.