Archaeologists have found the oldest evidence of a human amputation on the Southeast Asian island of Borneo. A 31,000-year-old skeleton found on the Indonesian part of the island suggests that Stone Age hunter-gatherers had “detailed knowledge of the anatomy of the limbs and the muscle and vascular systems,” the research team wrote in the journal Nature.
The amazingly well-preserved skeleton was discovered in 2020 in a cave in Indonesia’s East Kalimantan province of Borneo. Only one part was missing: the left ankle and foot. The remaining leg bone had a surprising shape that suggested the ankle and foot had been deliberately removed.
“It’s very clean and angular, you can even see the surface and shape of the cut through the bone,” said study leader Tim Maloney of Griffith University in Australia. The discovery “changes our understanding of the development of this medical knowledge,” the scientist says.
The researchers found that a Stone Age man died when he was about 20 years old. Before that, however, he would have undergone surgery – and then live on for another six to nine years. According to the researchers, he did not have a major postoperative infection — an indication of “intensive care and support” for Maloney’s team after the procedure.
There were also hunter-gatherer operations
Until now, a 7,000-year-old skeleton found in France was thought to be the earliest known evidence of an amputation. The forearm amputation found on him seemed to confirm that such operations only occurred in sedentary farming communities and not among hunter-gatherers. However, the discovery on Borneo now indicates that they too could perform surgical procedures – at least 24,000 years earlier than previously thought.
The Australian research team suspects that a surgeon may have used a stone-sharpened blade. The community may also have resorted to rainforest plants with medicinal properties.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
