Thousands of years ago, an ancient woman underwent two operations to her head and survived both procedures.
Prehistoric Skull Surgery
In Caravaca de la Cruz in southeastern Spain, experts unearthed a Copper Age burial site known as Camino del Molino. The archeologists found 1,348 individuals at a funerary site which was used from 2566 to 2239 B.C
One of the discoveries made by Spanish scientists were the skeletal remains of an ancient woman who was between 35 and 45 years old at the time of death. Unlike other skeletons, her skull showed evidence of a series of trepanations as a form of medical treatment.
Upon further examination, it was revealed that there are two overlapping holes between her temple and the top of her ear. One of the openings measured 2.1 inches wide by 1.2 inches long (53 by 31 millimeters), while the other one measured 1.3 by 0.47 inches (32 by 12 mm).
The researchers believe that the openings were not caused by an injury. No fractures were found radiating from the lesions and each hole contained well-defined edges. From these findings, study lead author Sonia Díaz-Navarro from the Department of Prehistory at the University of Valladolid in Spain concluded that the holes were the remnants of two different interventions.
The experts are not sure why the woman had to undergo the surgery in the first place. Although her skeleton showed healed rib fractures and some dental caries, these conditions were likely unrelated.
How is Trepanation Performed?
Trepanations are surgical procedures which involve drilling or scraping holes through the skull to expose the dura mater or the outermost layer of tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. By examining the holes and the oblique orientations of the hole walls, the researchers suggest that the trepanations were performed using a scraping technique.
This method involves rubbing a rough-surfaced stone instrument against the cranial vault. Doing so gradually erodes this region of the skull along the edges to create the hole. To perform this kind of surgery, the individual likely had to be strongly immobilized by other members of the community or get treated with a psychoactive substance to help them alleviate pain or render them unconscious.
The woman appears to have survived both operations, as suggested by the healed bone in her skull. According to the researchers, she might have lived several months after the second procedure.
Records of ancient surgical procedures is a rare occurrence, especially in the area of the skull called the temporal region. In the Iberian Peninsula, it was more common for trepanations to be carried out in the frontal and parietal (top) regions of the head.
Performing surgeries on the temporal region poses some risks such as inherent challenges associated with accessing this area through the scalp. In particular, this region contains a lot of blood vessels and muscles which are vulnerable and could easily bleed out during the operation.
However, prehistoric trepanations using the scraping technique were far more successful and safer than drilling. Surprisingly, ancient surgeons generally did not damage the meninges or the brain, and there were also lower risks for potential post-surgical infection. Using sterile instruments and plants with natural antibiotic properties could help avoid any infection.
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