Existing comment:
Trephination:
Illness can be a major aspect of human life, and methods of curing illnesses are apparently as old as human culture. All peoples, both ancient and recent, have used natural and/or supernatural healing methods to deal with illnesses. Trephining, or removing a piece of bone from the skull, is the oldest surgical procedure known from antiquity. The practice has gathered intense interest because it represents an early form of cranial surgery performed well before the advent of modern medicine.
Many trephinations are associated with skull fractures, suggesting that the treatment of head injury and its complications may have been a major motivation for the practice. Evidence also shows that ancient people may have believed trephination would cure various ailments such as epileptic seizures, migraines, and mental disorders. Some populations practiced trephination in order to release evil spirits from an individual. Some individuals even kept the bone that was trephinated and wore it as a talisman or charm to keep away evil spirits. |