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MOSCOW, 15 Nov. In the Turkish province of Van, a 3200-year-old skull was found with a triangular hole made in it. The latter indicates that its owner underwent trepanation, writes The Jerusalem Post.
Archaeologists have found the remains in a necropolis dating back to the early Iron Age, specifies Arkeonews. Excavations there began in 2016.
Trepanation, notes Arkeonews, is one of the oldest medical procedures. It has been going on for thousands of years. Archaeologists have come across trepanned skulls in Europe, America, Africa and China.
In ancient times, this procedure was considered a remedy for various diseases, including head injuries. In 2013, a scientific article was published stating that in ancient times, people often survived after such interventions, recalls The Jerusalem Post.
Some scientists also believe that this technique was used in rituals to expel spirits from the body.
In the case of the skull found in Turkey, it is not yet clear whether it belonged to a person who recovered from the operation or whether its owner died due to trepanation. Also, scientists do not know, and are unlikely to ever determine, whether the procedure was carried out due to health problems or in the course of a ritual, according to The Jerusalem Post.