Bronze Age Woman Survived Advanced Jaw Surgery 2,500 Years Ago
Researchers have uncovered evidence of a groundbreaking medical procedure from over 2,500 years ago. A woman from the ancient Pazyryk culture underwent advanced jaw surgery, revealing surprising sophistication in Bronze Age medicine. The discovery, made in 2019, challenges previous assumptions about early surgical capabilities in Europe.
The woman suffered severe cranial trauma, leaving her with a 6- to 8-millimetre deformation in the right parietal bone. To restore her ability to speak and eat, ancient healers performed a complex operation. They repositioned her lower jaw and drilled two precise artificial channels into the bone.
CT scans later confirmed the surgery's success. Bone regrowth around the drilled channels proved the procedure took place while the patient was alive. This rare evidence shows she survived long enough to recover, making it one of the earliest documented cases of maxillofacial surgery.
The findings, led by researchers at Novosibirsk State University, were previously unknown in scientific literature. The precision of the surgery matches modern standards, offering new insights into the medical expertise of the Argaric culture. This discovery not only advances medical research but also reshapes our understanding of ancient European surgical practices.
The 2,500-year-old procedure demonstrates that Bronze Age healers possessed remarkable skill. The woman's survival and recovery highlight the effectiveness of early surgical techniques. This breakthrough now serves as a key reference for both medical history and modern research into ancient healthcare practices.
