Prehistoric Surgery
Due to the nature of prehistory, little can be known for sure about what surgical practices were performed before documented history. However, thanks to various sources such as cave-paintings, fossils, and carbon dating, some prehistorical surgical techniques can be studied. Below are a few surgical practices believed to have been practiced before recorded history.
Trepanation
Cranial trepanation was a surgical operation likely originating from the Paleolithic era and may even be the oldest known surgery in history. This procedure involved drilling or boring a hole into the skull, likely to relieve pressure or remove “bad humors”. Evidence of healing after the hole was made indicates that many trepanation patients survived long after their surgery! (Dobanovački, p.28)
Image of trepanated skull, source: (Mariani-Costantini, p. 305)
Image of trepanated skull, source: (Mariani-Costantini, p. 305)
Sutures
Suturing is essentially the act of patching a wound by sewing the ends of skin together. Among various continents in ancient civilization, this was being done well before the 16th century BC. One method of suturing included the use of giant ants! These large ants would be held close to the wound until they bit the ends together. The “surgeon” manipulating said ants would then decapitate the ant, leaving the ant’s claws in place to hold the wound together. Ant suturing was not the only way wounds were closed in ancient and prehistoric times. Another method included using thorns or animal spikes as needles and vegetable fibers as thread to sew the wound shut. This sort of method is much closer to how sutures are performed today and have been in practice since the 10th century BC (Schiappa, p.395-396).
Image of ant suture, source:(Schiappa, p.395) |
Bone Setting
Bone setting was a commonly used method of mending broken bones, similar to the use of splints and casts today. Ancient Egyptians would eventually improve on bone setting methods with the use of linens and bark splints, but in prehistoric times it was often clay or mud that was used. The injured area would be coated with the clay or mud and then left to dry in place, essentially immobilizing the injured area so that it could heal on its own. (Dobanovački, p.28)
Image of fractured forearm with bark splints, source: (Blomstedt p. 672) |
Circumcision
While it is generally believed that the practice of circumcision began around the 4th century BC, there are some that suggest it may have originated from Egypt as long as 15,000 years ago. Ancient Egyptians were the first to circumcise children, likely for reasons of hygiene. This practice was spread to ancient followers of Judaism, and in fact it is the only surgical procedure that can be found in the Old Testament. (Dobanovački, p. 29-30)
Image of wall inscription depicting circumcision source: (Dobanovački p.30) |