The age of human remains is estimated at 31 thousand years.
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Scientists discovered human remains with signs of surgical amputation of the left leg on the island of Borneo. As reported by Science alert, the discovery of human remains with missing body parts is not uncommon, but in this case it is about deliberate amputation.
The skeleton was discovered in a limestone cave back in 2020. Upon closer examination, scientists found out that the lower part of the young man's left leg was removed, probably in childhood, 31 thousand years ago.
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According to the researchers, the amputation was done skillfully enough to allow the person to live another six to nine years before dying and being buried in a grave with tombstones in place.
“It was a great surprise that this ancient forager survived a very serious and life-threatening childhood operation, that the wound healed to form a stump, and that he then lived for many years in a mountainous area with altered mobility, suggesting a high degree of community and care.” – said bioarchaeologist Melandri Vlock from the University of Sydney.
Previously, the oldest evidence of surgical amputation was the skeleton of an elderly man aged 7,000 years, which was discovered in France. His left forearm was removed just above the elbow.
Even today, when doctors have an arsenal of tools to prevent infection, stop bleeding and painkillers, such operations require considerable skill and anatomical precision.
Scientists note that their discovery overturns the idea that complex surgical operations were not available to gathering societies. According to them, a surgeon or team of doctors had to have detailed knowledge of human anatomy, hygiene and the circulatory system to be able to navigate veins, blood vessels and nerves, amputate a leg and prevent death from blood loss and infection.
Researchers also believe that ancient doctors understood the importance of limb removal for humans.
Earlier, scientists assumed that the development of medicine coincided with or followed the emergence of agriculture. And the transition from gathering to agriculture over the last 10 thousand years caused a wave of health problems, which stimulated the development of medical skills.
In addition, it was previously believed that in those days only the amputation of fingers or toes and only for ritual purposes.
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