Neolithic human skull with signs of surgery

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Neolithic human skull which has had holes drilled into as part of an ancient medical practice called trepanning. This skull is from approximately 3500 BCE and was found with the residue of anaesthetic herbs in the teeth. The individual appears to have survived the trepanning, and lived for around 6 months after the procedure. This skull was found buried in the prehistoric Gava Mines, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

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Size: 6016px × 4016px
Location:
Photo credit: © MARCO ANSALONI / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, age, archaeological, archaeology, archeological, archeology, background, barcelona, black, bones, burr, catalonia, drilled, europe, european, gallery, gava, holes, holing, medical, medicine, mines, museum, neolithic, ornamental, palaeoanthropological, palaeoanthropology, paleoanthropological, paleoanthropology, park, perforated, prehistoric, prehistory, skull, spain, stone, surgery, surgical, treatment, trepanation, trepanning, trephination