Trepanation

Prehistoric evidence

Trepanation dates back to 7,000–10,000 years ago, is perhaps the oldest surgical procedure for which there is archaeological evidence, and in some areas may have been quite widespread. Trepanation is a worldwide practice that was extremely common during the Neolithic era. The main pieces of archaeological evidence are in the forms of human remains. At one burial site in France dated to 6500 BCE, 40 out of 120 prehistoric skulls found had trepanation holes. At the time only around 40% of people survived the procedure. A skull of a child in an Harappan burial at Lothal dated to 2200 BCE shows signs of trepanation.