New cases of trepanations from the 5th to 3rd millennia BC in Southern Russia in the context of previous research: Possible evidence for a ritually motivated tradition of cranial surgery?

Manipulations on prehistoric skulls such as trepanations are among the most fascinating palaeopathological findings though it is not always easy to make a firm diagnosis. This case study presents a lesion on the cranial vault of a Late Neolithic burial in Central Germany. The defect forms an almost lanceolate lesion along the sagittal suture, which had not penetrated the cranial vault. Similar lesions have been found in other areas of Germany and in the Balkans, where they have been interpreted as aborted, incomplete, or symbolic trepanations. This study explores potential causes for the unusual lesion and outlines possible therapeutic reasons for the manipulation of the skull. Comparison with similar cases also raises the question of a symbolic or ritual context. Thus, the study supports the hypothesis of symbolic surgical head manipulation in the European Neolithic.

mentioning

confidence: 56%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A possible case of symbolic trepanation in Neolithic Central Germany

Nicklisch

Dresely²,

Orschiedt

et al. 2018

“…Nowadays, trepanation is a worldwide discussed phenomenon (Andrushko & Verano, 2008;Bereczki & Marcsik, 2005;Bereczki et al, 2015;Campillo, 2007;Gresky et al, 2016;Erdal & Erdal, 2011;Nikita et al, 2013;Piek et al, 1999;Verano, 2016, among others). Nevertheless, only since the end of the 19th century, when it was first realized that ancient people made holes in the skull of the living, has trepanation started to fascinate anthropologists, surgeons, neurologists and the general public.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short Report: Evidence of Trepanation on a Female Individual from the Middle Bronze Age Necropolis of Casas Velhas (Melides, Portugal)

Silva

Gil

Soares

et al. 2016

Recent reanalysis of the human remains unearthed from the grave cists of the necropolis of Casas Velhas (Melides, Portugal) from the Southwest Iberian Middle Bronze Age, with a minimal number of 25 individuals (23 adults and 2 non‐adults), allowed relevant anthropological data. This culture, although widespread in southern Portugal and nearby areas of southwest Spain in the Middle Bronze Age, is characterized by the paucity of preserved human remains and thus the anthropological knowledge of these human populations. The adult female skeleton exhumed from cist 30, the last interment of this double burial, exhibit a complete perforation on the right parietal bone. The aim of this paper is to present and discuss this defect, which most probable diagnosis is trepanation. The hole is oval shape exhibiting long term healing. A shallow remodelled area is visible around the defect, which suggests scraping method. No complications or evident reasons for the intervention were observed. In terms of mortuary practices no clear distinction was observed between this individual and others from this cemetery. The features of this trepanation fit in the major points summarized by Silva () for prehistoric Portuguese trepanation. These data sustain the existence of an old tradition of this procedure is this region of Iberia, present, at least, since the Middle Neolithic. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

“…Therefore, we may only speculate about the intended purpose of the trepanation performed on the subject of burial 2 m. However, strong signs of healing of the trepanation opening allow us to reject the possibility of postmortem trepanation and removal of the brain for mummification (Saleem & Hawass, ; Mednikova, ). It also seems unlikely that cranial trepanation was carried out to make an amulet because the main technique of this trepanation was scraping, as revealed by the present study (Gresky et al ., ). Moreover, scraping would never have been used to make an amulet.…”

Section: Reasons For Trepanationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ante Mortem Cranial Trepanation in the Late Bronze Age in Western Siberia

Slepchenko

Vybornov

Slavinsky

et al. 2016

We report a case study of cranial trepanation in a male subject 30 to 40 years of age from the Nefteprovod II burial ground in the Anzhevsk archeological site. This burial dates back to the Late Bronze Age, in particular the Karasuk culture located in the Minusinsk Basin on the Yenisei River and on the upper reaches of the Ob River. The left parietal bone had an opening with evident signs of bone healing, as well as signs of inflammatory reaction from both bone plates of the calvarium. The strongest signs of inflammation were located around the trepanation opening at the exocranium, suggesting that it occurred after, rather than before, the operation. Although trepanation was the main cause for the development of the changes noted in the preceding texts, there are no reasons to believe that the subject died from complications arising from infection after trepanation. The patient survived and later died for reasons that may never be determined. Medical necessity was the most likely justification for trepanation. Immersion in altered states of consciousness may also have been a necessary part of the trepanation process as a mode of sedation, along with other shamanic practices, such as consumption of psychotropic substances or ecstatic dance. These data, together with reports of other ante mortem burials, raised questions about the application of anaesthesia and possible techniques of cranial trepanation. These issues and possible postoperative complications are discussed in the following text. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.