TY - JOUR

T1 - Craniotomy as a prehistoric medical practice

T2 - A case of antemortem cranial trepanation in southern Siberia in the late bronze age

AU - Chikisheva, T. A.

AU - Krivoshapkin, A. L.

AU - Pozdnyakov, D. V.

AU - Volkov, P. V.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2018 T.A. Chikisheva, A.L. Krivoshapkin, D.V. Pozdnyakov, P.V. Volkov.

PY - 2018/1

Y1 - 2018/1

N2 - Complete trepanation with the removal of the inner bone plate was studied on a cranium of a male aged ca 35, from a Late Bronze Age burial at Anzhevka, in the Krasnoyarsk-Kansk forest-steppe, dating to 1000–700 BC. Certain burials, including that with a trephined cranium, reveal traces of post-funerary rituals. The individual displays the Paleosiberian (Baikal) combination of craniometric and dental characteristics. The results of the macro- and microscopic analysis of the affected area, along with multislice computed tomography (MSCT), suggest that the trepanation was performed to treat osteomyelitis of the parietal bone with an epidural abscess (empyema), caused by an open depressed fracture of the left parietal bone, inflicted by a tool with a small contact area. In modern forensic practice, such perforations are attributed to hammer blows. This would explain the absence of linear fractures of the parietal bone around the zone of trepanation. Craniotomy with the removal of the osteomyelitiс focus and the emptying of the epidural abscess led to a prolonged preservation of the patient’s life. The results of a traceological analysis suggest that the aperture was made by scraping, and a thin tetrahedral tool was used to remove the bone fragment. Possibly the use of bronze instruments, known to have antiseptic properties, helped the ancient healer to cope with an advanced infectious process.

AB - Complete trepanation with the removal of the inner bone plate was studied on a cranium of a male aged ca 35, from a Late Bronze Age burial at Anzhevka, in the Krasnoyarsk-Kansk forest-steppe, dating to 1000–700 BC. Certain burials, including that with a trephined cranium, reveal traces of post-funerary rituals. The individual displays the Paleosiberian (Baikal) combination of craniometric and dental characteristics. The results of the macro- and microscopic analysis of the affected area, along with multislice computed tomography (MSCT), suggest that the trepanation was performed to treat osteomyelitis of the parietal bone with an epidural abscess (empyema), caused by an open depressed fracture of the left parietal bone, inflicted by a tool with a small contact area. In modern forensic practice, such perforations are attributed to hammer blows. This would explain the absence of linear fractures of the parietal bone around the zone of trepanation. Craniotomy with the removal of the osteomyelitiс focus and the emptying of the epidural abscess led to a prolonged preservation of the patient’s life. The results of a traceological analysis suggest that the aperture was made by scraping, and a thin tetrahedral tool was used to remove the bone fragment. Possibly the use of bronze instruments, known to have antiseptic properties, helped the ancient healer to cope with an advanced infectious process.

KW - Epidural abscess

KW - Late Bronze Age

KW - Multislice computed tomography

KW - Trepanation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85112256080&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.17746/1563-0102.2018.46.1.133-143

DO - 10.17746/1563-0102.2018.46.1.133-143

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85112256080

VL - 46

SP - 133

EP - 143

JO - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

JF - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

SN - 1563-0110

IS - 1

ER -