Hole In Stone Age Cow's Skull Bears Evidence Of Early Cranial Surgery

19 April 2018, 10:23 pm EDT By Athena Chan Tech Times

New research finds that a hole in the skull of a cow was likely made by humans for medical purposes over 5,000 years ago. Could this be the earliest sign of veterinary surgery, or was the procedure merely done as a practice for humans?

Hole In The Skull
In a recently published study, a pair of anthropologists discuss the possible implications of a discovery in a cow skull that was recovered from an archaeological site in western France. The site, believed to have been inhabited by a Stone Age community thousands of years ago, had scattered bone fragments, revealing that cows, sheep, pig, and goats were the likely main food source for its inhabitants. However, one of the recovered skulls was also found to have a hole the size of a matchbox.

Upon closer inspection using high-definition scanners, researchers found that the hole is not likely linked to a disease, pest attack, or any other sickness, and nor did it present evidence that it was a result of a strong blow to the head. Further, the possibility of the hole being made as a part of a religious ritual was also thrown out as the skull was just thrown along with other garbage.

Evidently, the hole, which was initially believed to be a result of a fight with a rival, matches the holes that were previously seen in human skulls that were bored as a result of cranial surgery or trepanation. It had surrounding cuts and scrape marks similar to those seen in human skulls, suggesting that this was an indisputable case of early cranial surgery.

More:
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/225714/20180419/hole-in-stone-age-cows-skull-bears-evidence-of-early-cranial-surgery.htm