Puzzle of an ancient skull with two holes

Research has revealed that thousands of years ago, a woman underwent two head surgeries and survived.

Scientists in Spain came to a conclusion about the operations after analyzing the woman’s skeletal remains, which were discovered at the burial site. Bronze AgeKnown as Camino del Molino, it is located in Caravaca de la Cruz in southeastern Spain.

The woman, who was between 35 and 45 years old when she died, was one of 1,348 people found at the burial site, which was used from 2566 to 2239 BC.

However, unlike the other skeletons, its skull showed evidence of a series of perforations, which are surgical procedures that involve drilling or scraping holes in the skull to expose the dura mater, the outer layer of tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This appears to have been a form of medical treatment.

additional The examination revealed two overlapping holes Between her temple and the top of her ear. One slot was 53 x 31 mm wide, while the second was smaller at 32 x 12 mm.

Based on some factors, investigators do not believe the holes were caused by infection. For example, there were no fractures and each hole had well-defined edges. They concluded that the holes were the remains of two separate surgeries.

“We found two different holes, caused by two different interventions.”said Sonia Díaz Navarro, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Prehistory at the University of Valladolid in Spain.

Based on the holes, along with “The oblique direction of the walls of holes”, Investigators determined that the holes were made using a “scraping technique.”

“This involves stone grinding [πέτρινου] A tool with a rough surface on the vault of the skull, gradually abrading it along all its edges to form the hole.”Diaz Navarro said.

He continued: “To perform this surgery, the person would likely have had to be severely immobilized by other members of the community or previously treated with a psychoactive substance that would have dulled the pain or rendered them unconscious.”

Surprisingly, the woman appears to have survived both operations, as evidenced by the healing of the bone in her skull. Investigators believe he lived several months after the second surgery.

the Documenting surgical operations in prehistoric times “It’s rare,” Diaz-Navarro said, especially in that area of ​​the head known as the temporal zone.

In the Iberian Peninsula, punctures were performed in the frontal and parietal (upper) regions of the skull.

The risks of working in this field included: “The inherent challenges associated with accessing this area through the scalp,” The researcher confirmed.

This area in particular has many blood vessels and weak muscles and can bleed easily during surgery.

However, Prehistoric treatments Using the scraping technique, they were more successful—and safer—than piercing. Ancient surgeons generally did not damage the meninges or the brain, so women were less likely to develop potential infections after surgery. Diaz Navarro explained that using sterile tools and plants with natural antibiotic properties can help limit potential infections.

Unfortunately, researchers are not sure why the woman had this surgery. Although her skeleton is visible Healing rib fractures and some tooth decayThese health problems are likely unrelated.

“The high frequency of injuries recorded in skeletons from Camino del Molino prompts us not to rule out the possibility that the operation was performed after injury.” Diaz Navarro noted.

Surgery would have eliminated any evidence of bruising or wounds, and damaged bone fragments may have been removed during the procedure.