Skull Discovered In Ancient City Of Euromus Shows Neurosurgery Performed 2,200 Years Ago

Conny Waters - AncientPages.com - A skull with marks indicating that neurosurgery existed 2,200 years ago, has been unearthed during excavations carried out in the ancient city of Euromus, dated back to the fifth century BC  and located in Turkey's southern Mugla province, reports Daily Sabah.

Skull shows neurosurgery performed 2,200 years ago. Image credit: AA Photo

Euromus (with several historical buildings and temples) was located in the center of the Caria region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia (Mycale) south to Lycia and east to Phrygia.

The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there. The inhabitants of Caria, known as Carians, had arrived there before the Ionian and Dorian Greeks. Herodotus described them as being of Minoan Greek descent, the Carians themselves on the other hand, claimed that they were Anatolian mainlanders involved in seafaring and related to the Mysians and the Lydians.

Certainly, the recent discovery made by the expedition team, will shed more light on the ancient civilization that lived over 2,000 years ago, according to assistant professor Abuzer Kizil in Selimiye neighborhood in Milas district, who led the team of excavators.

Around 20 burial chambers were discovered during electricity works near the site's welcome center, Kizil said, adding that they found out brain surgery was performed on one of the skulls belonging to an adult male.

"We believe this surgery was performed due to a headache or a problem that had to do with the skull," Kizil said, highlighting that the findings shed light on the history of medicine.

Kizil also noted that the people in Euromos were healthy in general, with the exception of some epidemic illnesses.

Archaeologists have also discovered two fetuses inside the tombs with two young women, indicating that they may have lost their lives during delivery.

Written by Conny Waters - AncientPages.com Staff Writer